Anti Depression/Anxiety How do you know when...

[Aquarisun]

..you would need to go up a dose? Or you just actually need to do the work yourself? I know they say with medication they will only help. I am a constant worrier, and I wish it can stop and everything. I guess I could meditate more and what not. I also have an OCD problem, where I get obsessive about some things (Asking if I am doing okay to my dad, or picking my skin, or my mind just won't stay focused sometimes).

I will say I think medication is helping me. Dumb me went off medication in Sept, weaned off slowly under therapist's care, and went on a herbal medicine. It was 5HTP. I seemed fine at first but then I just got so much worst. I was so depressed and anxious. I was suicidal, worrying something bad was going to happen to my family, and just other bad stuff. I went back on medication and I am glad it's helping me, but I could be better.

With medications, if you still feel anxious or depressed, do you go for a higher dose or you just need to work on yourself more to feel less anxious/depressed?

[Volaju]

I also suffer from Depression and Anxiety and I was given several medications at one point and they tried a couple things with me.

Raising the dosage is not always the safe thing to do. A lot of doctors neglect to tell you the side effects of what these medications can do to you and also they have a naturally addictive nature to them and can cause some anxiety int he fact that if you aren't able to get them, afford them, or things of that nature - it can also lead to more stress. All I can say here is to be careful with whatever medication they give you that you research it extensively to make sure it is the right thing for you and to ask your doctor of the long term effects. I was given Geodon for my mental issues and it was horrible, caused me to become very ill physically all the time and seemed to cause some kind of issue my dissociation identity disorder. That and it gave me long term memory loss and I can barely remember the years before now without some kind of trigger and I'm only 23. Seriously just be careful with the stuff they give out nowadays, they can have adverse affects on people and have been proven to not be as thoroughly tested as they should to control and remedy mental issues.

[A_Maine96]

Medication is only some of the solution, you have to make an active effort yourself too, I suggest counselling too. The problem with things like this (I also suffer) is that medication isn't a permanent fix, only a temporary solution (as long as you continue). maybe there are other answers,these are just my thoughts, I hope they help.

[Mused]

Maybe therapy in combination to meds would be a better idea...I have friends with OCD and its tough. They generally say focused therapy has good results, even though its a gradual process <3

[rainbow.sprinkles]

never change a dose on your own. always consult your doctor.

[Native spirit]

You should never start taking more medication because you think you need it,not before speaking to your doctor,all meds have side affects and you can also get imune to the meds.so you need to take another brand only your doctor can do this,but meds are only a part of it,seeing a councellor would also be beneficial to you,combine the meds with therepy would be a good idea.

Namaste

[innerlight]

Speaking with a trained professional would be the first step in getting the answer to your question on whether the medicine should be upped, or not. Or if a different drug is needed instead. Taking medical advice from the internet, will probably not end well for you. Side effects and the like would also need to be taken into consideration, as well as, why you would feel you need a stronger dose.

If you are having anxious, or depressive thoughts, even suicidal thoughts, then you should speak with a trained professional to help you deal with any and all issues that you are dealing with, as well as what could be bringing these issues/emotions/feelings up to the surface within you. Just taking a pill or two, may not help you get to the root cause of the issue within yourself and may make it harder and harder to cope with it.

Such things as depression/anxiety can have more than one thing happening within us, and may need more than one resolution to it. Just taking a pill and not dealing with a deeper issue within you, that could be there, can create more problems later on in life. Plus I would imagine you wouldn't want to rely on a pill for the rest of your life.

[Aquarisun]

@Volaju- Aw sorry to hear Geodon didn't work. I never heard of that though? I been on a lot of meds. I will admit I probably should have given other meds a chance, I only went up to 20-30mg on most and doctors wouldn't go ahead and put me on something else and increase the pill. I'm on 60mg of Prozac. It seems the highest you can go is 80 but yeah my psychatrist said you have to do some of the things yourself or something to that extent. I do need to stay away more of what uspets me and stresses me out. Honestly in general I don't think I have anything to be upset about, yeah there are some sad things but I guess in the present things aren't bad per say.. :P I'm also on Buspar for anxiety, I will admit it could be much stronger. :P Actually I heard prozac apparently helps with anxiety too? Thankfully no side effects yet, which my psychatrist is always concerned about. I get my weight checked, blood pressure, she asks when my last menstrual cycle was, etc. (I don't ever want kids, I did tell her Paxil I was on the longest but Paxil apparently causes birth defects?) I never been pregnant, I am not, and i don't plan to be so good on that one. I do like to keep my weight normal :) I know they say exercise can help tho. Maybe I should get into yoga more. I dunno I always hear about people being on really high dosages of medication that seems to help them, but I guess it depends on your body,etc or weight maybe? D:

@A_Maine96-Thanks :) Counseling sometimes help but I think for me it's on my own because I need to control my thoughts more, knee reactions or just take a step back and not jump the gun so fast when something upsets me :/ Hopefully I will get there someday. :)

@Mused-I will have to look up Focused therapy. I will admit I am so bad at not listening to self help but I guess it's all because it's not a habit but I guess when you put it into more of your daily life, it gets better right? It gets more into something to do like brushing your teeth twice a day

@Rainbow&Native Spirit-Thanks :) Yeah I see my doc in August so we'll have to see. I am trying other things like EFT...am I completely better? No I need to do more stuff and plus think more positive and practice it more and stuff. (EFT as in emotional freedom technique).

@InnerLight-Yeah true :) I do sometimes read about tracking your emotions for a couple of weeks or so maybe I should record that next time I see my psychatrist :) I see her in Aug. If nothing is stressing me I'm fine and yeah I can get days when I'm down but I come back up but I guess that's kinda normal right? I do feel much happier when it's warmer which it is where I am in the US Yeah it be nice to try not to rely on a pill rest of my life but I am kinda thinking I may have to. I tried going off Prozac for awhile and that didn't NOT do well. I felt even more depressed, anxious, and even having suicidal thoughts. Being back on Prozac is helping me much better but could it do better? Yes or maybe it's just me, I dunno..I guess it's one of those things you have to figure out I guess :P So far no side effects from my medication. But I wonder if 60mg of PRozac would be considered low or not? D: