Teen Suicide Rates

[BmorePat87]

(02-22-2018, 04:36 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I have this conversation with people all the time. There are some people that "pill shame" people that treat depression and anxiety with medication, but there is a biological component to this that cannot be overlooked. Some people can do fine with psychotherapy alone, some with medication alone, some need a combination. I'm in that last category. I actually went for years without anything, stopped treatment because I lost insurance. For the past three years, though, things have been rough. I finally got up the motivation to make changes this year and get back on medication and see a therapist.

I recently began taking cymbalta for frequent migraines. In addition to being an antidepressant, it prevents migraines as well.

The side effects were ridiculous at first and the persisting one is an inability to focus at work or grad school. A coworker is also taking it for nerve damage and the two of us were discussing the different side effects we have been dealing with. My doctor and I decided that we'd begin easing me off of it and I'll just deal with migraines. 

I can understand why kids, and adults, who need to be taking medication stop or seek to self medicate because the symptoms are just insane sometimes... but despite that, many people have told me that for them they know it's better than feeling the way they do off the medicine. 

There's no reason to shame anyone from taking medication that works for them. Like you said, therapy alone works for some, but it's not a one size fits all solution. Some people need medication.