When is it time to start thinking about getting on an antidepressant?
In this video, I'm going to give you five reasons that can help you decide if starting
a medication is something right for you.
Welcome to Family Med, I'm Dr. Richardson and this is your home for practical and accurate
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So back to the question, When is it the right time to start thinking about taking a medication
for depression?
This is a great question and one that I get a lot.
It's one that I couldn't possibly address reason or scenario that would satisfy everybody
out there.
There are definitely a lot of factors that go into it and so you definitely should have
this conversation with your doctor.
I have found though that there are several general things that help us know if it may
be appropriate for patients.
Maybe it could help you decide whether you should pursue further care.
The first thing that will make me think that a patient may benefit from a medication is
when they have been doing everything that they know how to do, and they are still struggling
with depression.
If you have been eating right, going to counseling, trying to get good sleep and even taking supplements
but are still suffering from depression then it may be time to think that medication is
the right thing for you.
The second reason is when your depression is starting to control your life.
We all have times when we are depressed but we can recognize it and understand that its
something that will pass.
We can still function normally and go about our life without any significant impact.
However, when your depression is starting to rule your life and starts impacting your
relationships or work or school or anything else that is important to you then it may
be time to start thinking about it.
The third reason is when you are going through a significant bout of depression but really
have no reason for it.
When your boyfriend or girlfriend breaks up with you or you recently lost a loved one
its normal and natural to be depressed.
These can be good feelings that are part of life and getting on an antidepressant for
these types of short term situations may not be appropriate.
But if everything is going well in your life or a lot of time has passed since these events,
but you are still significantly depressed then it may be a sign that you are suffering
from a clinical depression that may benefit from medication.
That leads to the fourth reason.
If your symptoms have been going on for years and you just haven't done anything about it
then you may benefit from a medication.
The longer depressive symptoms have been going on the greater chance you have of having a
chemical issue in the brain causing your symptoms.
The fifth reason is when your depression has gotten to the point where you start having
suicidal thoughts.
If your depression is that severe you need help.
Make sure you are talking with loved ones, getting in with your doctor, talking to counselor,
going to the ER or even calling the National suicide prevention hotline.
Once things are stable and you are in a safe place, taking medication to help control your
symptoms can save your life.
So to simply summarize, you may benefit from taking medication if you have tried everything
else, It's controlling your life, Your depressed and you don't have a reason for it, Your depression
has been going on for years or you are having suicidal thoughts.
If these things are going on then make sure you are talking to your doctor to see what
the best approach will be for you.
This isn't a comprehensive list of reasons that you may need to be on a medication but
it's a good start that covers the majority of cases that we see in the office.
If you feel that your symptoms are different then talk to your doctor.
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If you want to explore some common medications that are used for depression click here to
see what may be right for you and if you want a better review of non medication options
to treat depression then click here.
So until next time, this is FamilyMed with Dr. Richardson and remember to take care of
your body because it's the only one you have.