I was on this some years ago when I was having major stress / panic attacks... it was at the point where I would start freaking out at least once a day, and I'd be checking routine things multiple times to make sure everything was okay (like making sure my belongings were where I left them, etc.).  It definitely helped stable me out, and I was at the point where I could tell for myself if I was able to lower the dosage and eventually found the point where I didn't need it anymore after about a year and a half (maybe less) if I remember correctly.

So anyways, the stuff works, and good luck with whatever you're dealing with.  It can be rough, but just try to remind yourself it ain't so bad, and always remember and appreciate the good things.

 

This, im dealin with it right now. Im on the same stuff you are rofl, its good stuff.

 

Yeah, you'll get used to it. wouldnt recomend aciedentaly taking more than it says though like i did once in a hurry.

Now, your average drama queen needs to hear something like that every now and then; people with depression however, really don't need and added cause to feel alienated.

I think most people take this attitude (along with skepticism about ADD/ADHD for that matter) because most everyone has seen times when they were depressed and, one way or another, worked themselves out of it. 

It's easy to assume "Oh, hey, I did it, everyone else is just being dramatic", and in many cases I bet the person being treated could have been helped without meds, but there's definitely room for people out there who have a legitimate chemical imbalance.

I've seen her come out of it not too long ago because she finally has a doctor who's prescribed proper pharmacological help, and because she's finally willing to listen to a doctor on the issue. The difference is like night and day.

No, depression as an uncontrollable psychological disorder is bloody real.

In those cases, in my opinion, people just need to grow up. Being bummed =/= depression.

 

That said, depression is a very real, very physical illness. People that say that depression is trivial have never experienced it, in my opinion. I've been through times where the only way I could describe my life and outlook were "dark". I've suffered panic attacks that left me crippled, literally unable to walk across the room without my heart rate soaring. I gained weight, because I couldn't work out, I ate entirely too much, and my emotions were completely uncontrollable. And if I tried to fight it, my mind fought back at me, and often times this made it even worse.

 

I would have been suicidal had it not been for my religious beliefs. No doubt in my mind. I lost my job, I lost my girlfriend at the time, I went broke, my life completely crumbled. Mental issues are the some of the worst things you'll ever deal with. Just bear in mind that almost everything you do has a mental reasoning or backing behind it. So when you say you'd be able to just deal and continue with life as normal, you're counting a mental response that may not happen when you're dealing with the issue.

 

I dealt with my depression and panic attacks without meds for the most part. I took Xanax, and I sampled the mood stabilizers, but in the end the greatest success for me was the feeling of overcoming it and becoming a stronger, better person because of it. But the whole episode (which really lasted on and off for years) changed me in alot of ways. I am definately much stronger because of it, but I'm also pretty numb emotionally. Nothing really bothers me, and I have a really hard time relating to people anymore. My reaction to stress is either drinking or withdrawing myself from friends / socializing, so most of you probably wouldn't classify me as "fixed", but I'm dealing with those issues as well.

 

My point is, just because I was able to deal and move on, I recognize that, as a physicall illness, there are probably much, much worse cases of depression. I certainly don't look down on people who use meds for that very reason.

 

I do, however, feel that if it's at all possible to break through and move on without medication, that's the way to go. Meds leave you with a feeling of dependency and weakness that, for me at least, is almost as unpleasant as the illness itself.  

Good post.