ANTI-DEPRESSANT - Is it for You?
I hardly ever prescribe antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication. Here’s why, and why it’s easier to help a client with depression or anxiety when they are not yet on one of these meds.
First, let me say that if you are currently taking an antidepressant (or anti-anxiety) med, know that I support you 100%. I will explain why it may seem it isn’t working as well for you as it might have in the beginning.
Antidepressants are generally a variation on the theme of SSRI, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. In other words, they help you ‘save up’ your serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or nervous system messenger, that regulates your thoughts, energy and emotions. It is involved in almost everything your body does.
Serotonin regulates:
- Mood - anger/tolerance, negativity/positivity, self-criticism/satisfaction
- Appetite - cravings/satiety, affecting addiction and OCD
- Sleep - how well and how long you sleep
- Digestion - nausea and bowel movements
- Heart health - blood vessel relaxation/contraction and blood pressure
There is plenty of research over the years showing SSRI’s and their cousins to be effective. They show more effectiveness for more severe depression or anxiety, and less effectiveness for mild to moderate cases.
So why not take one?
A handful of clients over the years would testify that going on a SSRI significantly improved their mood and outlook, at least in the beginning. Some however would report an overall dulling of emotion, eliminating the lows, and the highs.
Warnings and side effects for SSRI’s include:
- Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
- Decreased interest in sex and decreased ability to reach climax
- Weight loss or gain
- Difficulty sleeping, drowsiness
- Nausea, diarrhea, indigestion
- Nervousness, agitation or restlessness, anxiety
What SSRI’s do NOT do… they DO NOT increase the overall amount of serotonin in your body.
Unfortunately, SSRI’s and similar meds ultimately DEPLETE the body of serotonin because there is only so much to be ‘saved up’. Unfortunately, this will likely end up worsening the situation you were trying to fix.
Worse than that, these meds are very difficult to get off of.
NOTE: If you are currently taking an antidepressant or anti-anxiety med, please DO NOT stop it suddenly. If you are interested in getting off your medication, please talk with the provider who prescribed it, or another licensed health care provider you trust, about how to taper off the medication and what to expect as you do so.
Initially we thought low serotonin caused depression, and maybe anxiety too. We have learned it is more complicated than that.
Depression and anxiety can be related to gut imbalance, toxin exposure, diet, sleep, food sensitivities, poor methylation, or a combination of these and other contributors.
The point is that current conventional anti-depressive and anti-anxiety meds MAY help when started, but will almost always end up worsening your symptoms. And if you want to try other options, going off the med will be very challenging.
What options are there besides conventional medications?
A functional medicine approach to depression or anxiety seeks to figure out why there is imbalance in the body that is affecting mood and wellbeing.
Functional Medicine treatment begins along 2 parallel paths:
Rapid relief – things we can do in the short term to improve mood while we work on #2
Deep dive into long-term balance of gut, thyroid, digestion, nutrient sufficiency, diet, lifestyle, and sleep to allow the body to function at its best, regain vitality and enjoy life.
Reach out to talk about improving your mood naturally, with or without medication.