Antidepressants

[fastcar]

Long story short, I am utterly alone, and get somewhat depressed whenever I am without friends (which is a lot). Of the 3 friends I do have, one doesn't actually like me, the other is constantly bailing on me for his more exciting friends, and the third is actually just a kid who lives with me and is forced to hang out with me even though he probably doesn't want to.

I've always been one of the happy and cheerful types people. I actually still am. I just don't feel that way. When I'm at home not doing anything because I don't have anyone to do things with, I get really sad and just mope around and wallow in self pity.
Lately I've been trying to confront why I am so alone and the only thing I can come up with is my complete social awkwardness. It's pathetic really.

Anyways, although I'm pretty good at hiding it, my mom has been noticing my episodes of depression and keeps telling me that I need to see a doctor and get on antidepressants. I've told her that I'm fine, and all that jolly stuff.

I don't want to see a doctor or take meds because I feel like all my depression is is loneliness and medication can't really fix that. I also don't want to be happy all the time. I feel like the antidepressants would somehow deprive the experiences of emotion (if that makes any sense).

For anyone that is on antidepressants, what are they like and how do they affect you? Also, what constitutes taking such medication, is my 'case' even a real reason? Or is there anyone that's just in the same boat?

[Abhorrence]

It's actually pretty fantastic that you feel you know why you are depressed. Therapy could potentially help you a lot. I'm currently doing therapy and I have no idea why I'm depressed and now most of the time is being taken to find out why - which is really annoying because they're delving into my family life and I feel it is unnecessary and personal.

I was on anti-depressants and I'll be back on them shortly but they didn't do much for me the first time. I was only on them for around eight weeks or so which didn't really give them time to kick in. There was only one side effect which didn't bother me loads. If I had continued taking it I'm sure it would have worked slightly, I don't know - I'm going to be put on a different medication this time.

It is completely up for the doctor to decide whether medication is the correct response to the problem. Like I said, it sounds more like therapy or counselling would be best suited.

[Vermilion]

I've been on antidepressants for nearly a month now and then I have 2 more months to go. The only side affects I've had are feeling sick at times, and a bit of my sex drive/ faction has decreased. I think they can stop your emotions like feeling happy ect but I think it's a mental thing. Over all no one can tell I'm on meds. But like MoonlightDemons said therapy is probably the best and only way to get out of depression , I start counselling soon.

[Luminous]

I've been on antidepressants since October and I think it's helped me a lot. It's taken a shit ton of med changes to find one that didn't make me worse (On the first few everytime it changed I got more and more suicidal until I actually tried to do it, that sucked), but finally I was put on a mood stabilizer as well and that kind of made me see that a lot of the things I was depressed about were complete bullshit and I started changing things around. I've only had two side effects that I know of, weight gain and my periods have pretty much stopped (which I don't think will be a problem for you, and honestly I'm pretty pleased about that one, lol). I do recommend you try antidepressants and/or therapy (remember, a lot of mental illness is just a chemical imbalance that needs to be corrected). It could help you instantly or it could be a long, rocky path but eventually it should work out for the best. Good luck.

[SethfromMI]

antidepressants can help but counseling is also very important as well