Published on 12, July, 2020
I have struggled with depression for at least 5 years and only more recently diagnosed as autistic. I’ve been on two different antidepressants- Sertraline and citalopram- and I’m not sure if I can even tell anymore if I feel any better.
I’ve been told that I’ve most likely been in a state of burnout for a long time so i now don’t know if autism is the root cause of all the depression I’ve felt ( I know it has definitely contributed) so would antidepressants just not work in this situation? Or am I just finding it harder to tell if I’m doing better because I can’t identify may own emotions as easily? I know that I don’t feel ‘happy’ or stable yet but I can tell if my mood has improved at all because I feel like my depression has caused so much brain fog.
has anyone had similar experience ?
I’ve been prescribed citalopram in the past, the GP explained that I most probably had a chemical imbalance in my brain, I didn’t produce enough serotonin. I was in my forties then and had been struggling with depression since I was a child, I stopped taking the citalopram in the end, I had felt no better. My old GP retired in the end and a new young GP replaced him, on our first meeting I was referred for an autism assessment. It has led to a burnout for over a year but that’s mainly me processing my past life and not masking so much. Knowing why has helped me more than medication, it just all became very clear. The depression still exists along with anxiety but knowing why allows me to adapt my life and be a much better person.