No need for terror.

As near as I can find out, the reason it seems there is an increase in suicides when using some the more effective antidepressants is because they are more effective.

What I mean is they get people out of serious depression quicker. The kind that doesn't leave you with the ability to do anything. The sudden uplift brings those people far enough up to do something - and that something is sometimes suicide.

So, unless you've considered suicide, no problem for you.

If you have, have your family and friends keep a close eye on you for a while - and have the sense to tell them if you start thinking about it again.

YIKES . . . then, for me there is a reason for terror . . . and I haven't talked to them about this in the first place, so telling them to keep an eye on me is unlikely.

Hmmmmm, more to think about.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it!

Ok, I should have mentioned those findings are youth related - under about 20.

Here's aa bit from a recent report:

Milane and colleagues then modeled suicide rates in 1988–2002 based on pre-1988 suicide trends, and their modeling suggested that fluoxetine prescription decreases suicides, both in women and in men. Further modeling analysis showed that if pre-1988 trends (i.e., trends in the pre-SSRI era) were extrapolated through 2002, suicide numbers would have been higher by about 33,600 cases. The authors summarized their findings with the hypothesis that SSRIs may have saved 33,600 lives since their introduction.

The whole article

I don't think there's any reason for terror. A lot more people are on antidepressants than you realize. I have been stabalized on the same medication (Elavil) for over twenty years and the only side effect is slight weight gain. Medication like Elavil and even the other newer ones have been proven safe and effective for adults. Wendy Aron wendyaron.com

A very good resource to check is WebMD. That is very thorough and accurate.

Remember, there were people that told Columbus that he would fall off the edge of the earth by voyaging into unknown waters.

I'd strongly recommend that you go to one of the good medical sites online and look up the medications. All of them serve a purpose and also have conta-indications (downsides). Clinical depression is a chemical imbalance in the body and it will not self-restore. In the old days, before the kinds of antidepressants that are now available, depressed people ended up in a mental hospital because the depression got worse until they became catatonic or disturbed. depression is NOT like a psychosis. There is nothing wrong with your brain when you are depressed. It is the hormones that stimulate the brain that are affected like adrenaline and serotonin. The medication restores the flow of these important chemicals that our body manufactures.

Most of the medications, unfortunately have side effects but the most terrible side effects are often manufactured by lawyers looking to sue someone than the drug itself. Depressed people are suicidal. YOu can blame the medication but in most instances, the person's body doesn't react to the meds and he or she becomes suicidal, not the other way round. In the case of the young, their bodies may react differently than an adult's will. They have a different set of hormones that are pouring through them and it may not be helped by these meds.

The drugs in the antidepressant family are not instant on drugs. Unlike pain killers which take effect immediately, antidepressants may take months of accumulated use before you feel a sense of relief.

Several factors play into recovery:

1. Is this your first bout of depression? Your odds on recovery are higher if this is your first go-around with a deep depression.

2. Are you working with a qualified medical professional - a psychiatrist whose work is prescribing meds for mental health and emotional conditions? I would sooner go to a plumber for brain surgery than a GP for psychiatric meds.

I have worked with people suffering depression for forty years and never lost one to suicide. Some of them wanted to murder me, but many people not suffering from anything but my caustic humor wanted to do that! The dangers to you are few if you follow the advice of a psychiatrist and keep your lines of communication open to report anything that isn't right and ask any question you may have.

One issue: Some antidepressants cause weight gain. if this is an issue with you, discuss it in advance because there are a couple of good antidepressants that do not have this side effect.

Some antidepressants cause a loss of desire for sex. It will come back if it was there before.

some cause mild symptoms like dry mouth. Drink lots of fluids.

If you smoke, don't try to quit while you are trying to recover. One disorder at a time and depression is the more important IMMEDIATE problem.

Do not expect to be able to recover if you drink alcohol and take antidepressants. Alcohol is a depressant!

Allow yourself to be less responsible. You can't run 100 miles an hour and have your body recover in the early stages. If you have a husband, let him do the cooking and cleaning. It will make him more responsible for later when you want to go out and celebrate with your friends and need to leave someone at home to do the work!

If I got you smiling at least a little bit, you are on your way to recovery.

While you are recovering medically, see a good therapist who will help you deal with the emotional overload you are carrying. Depression doesn't arrive overnight like a storm. It may have been building for years and making subtle changes in how you handle your life. Recovery is more than getting your chemistry back in balance. There are a lot of tricks you need to learn to get your life back in balance too.

Good luck. We will all be rooting for your recovery. As you begin to get better, don't use the disorder as an excuse to isolate or shirk your responsibilities. Take them back as soon as you are able ... but not before!

I have Citalopram (low dose - 10 mg). It is an SSRI. My PRIMARY reason for seeing my physician was physical/abdominal related issues . . . but my symptoms were aggravated by my bouts of depression and/or the ever growing panic attacks I would get (especially in the middle of the night). When I began describing my PHYSICAL symptoms, even before I go to the depression, she said, "it sounds like you have a seratonin issue . . . have you been noticing more frequent bouts of depression or panic?" I burst into tears, "YES!!!" She talked me through the situation, told me to up my fiber, and spent several minutes talking to me about the different depression meds. Apparently this is relatively new and is turning out to be a VERY well tolerated and affective antidepressant.

I sobbed all the way home mostly from relief . . . or at least the HOPE of relief. I start the meds tomorrow morning and I know not to expect the effect to be immediate. So I'll be patient.

Thanks for all the support and advice. I truly appreciate it!