Why do people stay on antidepressants if it makes them feel apathetic? - correct me if I'm using apathetic wrong, don't forget to call me a nigger for it.

[Crabbo]

From a therapeutic and medical standpoint, it takes behavior which is like this /\/\/\, and turns it into this ---

Some schools of therapy see this as an end goal, but others see this as a stepping point to help the individual learn coping mechanisms so that the patient can be weaned off the drugs and apply these coping techniques more and live a better life.

So TLDR, doctors throw meds out cause its easy, and they don't care beyond that step.

 

[Pomniman]

Why not be functional, what do you gain from not being functional?

I'll preface this by saying that my disorder isn't depression and that you should take heed of my username when considering anything I have to say.

With that disclaimer out of the way, it depends on what you're looking to get out of life. Being "functional" boils down to the bare minimum of being capable of living in a socially acceptable way (hold down a job, pay your bills/taxes, maintain a basic level of personal hygiene, don't bother anyone too much, don't cause any property damage, don't kill yourself or anyone else, don't commit any crimes in general, &c.) anything beyond that is a luxury and therefore extraneous to mere "functionality". If that's enough to satisfy you on its own, if you believe that the apathy you claim you're getting in exchange for that functionality is a worthwhile price to pay, that's all well and good, but then is it really enough to satisfy you in the long run? Is it enough to satisfy anyone? I'd think not, but again, I'm the furthest thing from an authority on anything.

It's a matter of whether you want to merely continue existing until you stop or live and die on your own terms. And I don't mean that in any sort of "positive" or "uplifting" way. Whatever you choose could very well lead to the worst possible outcome for you, whatever that means to you, but the act of choosing holds meaning in and of itself.

 

[Sprig of Parsley]

From a therapeutic and medical standpoint, it takes behavior which is like this /\/\/\, and turns it into this ---

That's more the domain of mood stabilizers (which supposedly some antidepressants also can function as, though usually synergistically with something else IIRC).

 

[Lurker]

so if you've hurt and it hurts real bad
or if you have feelings that are making you sad
then it's okay, it's okay to cry

 

[Recoil]

Ketamine infusions have been shown to have good results when used to treat depression. But I don't think the studies have reached a stage three trial but I might be wrong.

The FDA is pretty much the government arm of the pharmaceutical industry and everyone knows it. Do you think they might be hesitant to legitimize a drug that will make the most profitable pharmaceuticals in the last century obsolete, literally overnight? Ketamine therapy shows an 80-86% success rate with treatment resistant depression (depending on who you ask). Unfortunately, ravers got high on it during the 90s, it's not a pill you take every day and it's far too old to patent, so don't be expecting widespread medical acceptance anytime soon. The industry has a vested interest in treating things, not curing them.

Any one of us could go get ketamine therapy tomorrow, assuming we had the money to do so.

 

[Sicko Hunter]

If you're completely depressed and life is meaningless to you losing being apathetic isn't that bad of a tradeoff for potentially helping your depressed. You already have no interest in sex and are totally apathetic when you're depressed so it's nothing new

 

[Barnard]

For every story where meds make someone functional but apathetic, I've heard another where something suddenly just clicks and the patient regains their long lost happiness and emotions. According to anecdotal evidence, this tends to happen after trying many different combinations of meds, which is consistent with the notion that most people need to try multiple antidepressants before achieving any improvement at all. I don't know, if you've been on the same medicine all this time, maybe it's worth asking your doctor if it's a good idea to try something else.

 

[RetardedCat]

Ketamine therapy shows an 80-86% success rate with treatment resistant depression (depending on who you ask).

Have they only tested it on depression? Also if you got any good papers on that shit I'm mildly interested.

I also wouldn't recommend asking for advice on Kiwi Farms.

don't worry I asked my psychiatrist and he said it's okay if I ask the internet for what to do with my treatment.

 

[Recoil]

For every story where meds make someone functional but apathetic, I've heard another where something suddenly just clicks and the patient regains their long lost happiness and emotions. According to anecdotal evidence, this tends to happen after trying many different combinations of meds, which is consistent with the notion that most people need to try multiple antidepressants before achieving any improvement at all. I don't know, if you've been on the same medicine all this time, maybe it's worth asking your doctor if it's a good idea to try something else.

I think the patient's brain is doing the real heavy lifting in those situations, because a person who willingly goes through the ups & downs of switching meds like that is a person who wants desperately to change and is willing to suffer if need be. That willingness, that deep desire to change no matter what, is the real medicine.
Personally I think that's the case for Ketamine too. It's no secret that pretty much everyone everyone who tries ketamine for depression has tried pretty much everything else already and is likely at the end of their fucking rope/down for whatever.

Have they only tested it on depression? Also if you got any good papers on that shit I'm mildly interested.

If you're interested enough, try www.google.com
Edit: as for things besides depression, I think you'll find that a lot of the other bullshit is co-morbid. Handle the depression and loads of things start clearing up on their own.

 

[ES 148]

I don't know.

 

[Strange Looking Dog]

Imagine even having to take meds

 

[Barnard]

a person who willingly goes through the ups & downs of switching meds like that is a person who wants desperately to change and is willing to suffer if need be. That willingness, that deep desire to change no matter what, is the real medicine.

Right, this sentiment rings true on a personal level. But considering the reported efficacy of ketamine, there's got to be something about it that enables this human determination to take over and work its magic, in a way traditional antidepressants often can't. But what? All depression treatments come with the "it sometimes works but we don't know why" caveat. If researchers of ketamine were able to pinpoint these specifics, that'd be spectacular.

 

[Seregios (Att. at Law)]

It's better to feel nothing than the numbness of nothing. Having to fight with yourself just to move to pee or even have a drink of water. Feeling apathy is better than not even be able to feel the warmth of sunny day or the dullness you feel. Colors don't even show with some people.
Apathy is a nightmare but self loathing nothingness is Hell

 

[AF 802]

It's been a cat-and-mouse ride to get off. I stopped needing them several years ago but i have a psychiatrist who fails to see the same. Now I essentially can't sleep if I take them, so it's going to take about a year to get off the one I'm on now.

 

[DDBCAE CBAADCBE]

I used to take medicine for depression but I stopped using it because it because the side effects were real harsh. Eventually I learned how to just get over it and move on with life. Do I still have panic attacks sometimes? Sure, but it's cheaper this way and I feel better about myself knowing that I'm solving my problems on my own.

 

[ProgKing of the North]

I've been suicidally depressed and I've been apathetic, I'll take apathy any day

But still consider trying different types of meds? It can take like 5 years to find the right cocktail

 

[ОТСТАЛАЯ ПИЗДА]

Iv taken ssri's for 6 years. Different brands and doses, and I have taken Mao-a Mao-b inhibitors and random other shit. The only one iv consistently taken is ssri's. I still feel happy, sad, angry (actually probably more angry), and all the other emotions. With the exception of anger, everything just kinda averaged out for me. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but it allows you to not think in such crazy extremes that you can kind of look at yourself and analyze. It helped me go "Oh so that's what I need to do" kinda thing. I still take an ssri but it is a low dose and iv gotten rid of everything else over six years. Psychiatrists are kinda shit at diagnosing things cuz all they can do is ask you stuff and if you properly understood your own mind you probably wouldn't be in there. So you/them gotta throw a bunch of shit at the wall and see what sticks. it took me years to feel comfortable and now I barely take anything and probably will get off of even the shit I take now, but im eternally grateful that they patched the leak in the pipe long enough for me to get a new pipe.

 

[Webby's Boyfriend]

Why do people stay on antidepressants if it makes them feel apathetic?

Because (((they))) want people to stay apathetic.

 

[Midlife Sperglord]

I actually have mixed feelings about psychiatric medications. On one hand, there are people out there who are legitimately unfortunate enough to have the brain chemistry that needs the tweaking of those medications in order to be remotely functional, not just in society, but in the most fucking general terms possible.

On the other hand, they are being prescribed on a massive scale to people who just need to learn to man the fuck up and learn better coping skills.

These drugs do have their place, but that place is not the widespread state they are being prescribed.

 

[UQ 770]

Jesus kid, what the fuck are you doing here?

The short version is that the majority of people out there already are apathetic. If they care about something, they care about it for like, a minute. Then their mind wanders to something else. This is why things like CBT seem to work. Most people just need to tell themselves to feel better, and they actually do feel better from just that simple act. For everyone else, there are increasingly complicated and convoluted combinations of drugs. For many people, having their brains turned to mush by SSRIs or whatever is a small price to pay to get that feeling of being normal and everything being at ease. Giving a shit about things is not a natural state of mind. Painkiller addictions are the ultimate expression of this, because we know for a fact that they make you feel good. They act on exactly the right receptors to make you feel better.

You answered your own question anyway. Its either live for nothing, or die. Some people are fortunate enough to invent reasons for themselves to live, but those usually don't stick when the going gets rough. Just be happy you've found something that works and try to keep going until the end catches up with you. If it works a little too well, see if a lower dose helps. You might need that higher dose later once you start to become immune.