Do antidepressants work?

I have very strong views on the use of antidepressants.

I have been prescribed different ones over the past 40 years, and still struggled, and i didnt know i was autustic. I now realise that some of those visits to the doctor, saying i cant cope, where in fact melt downs. Antidepressants didnt help me my melt downs. 

I suffer with terrible brain fog and have done for the past approx 25 years. 

I wish i had known all those years ago that i was autistic. I feel sad for the young me who didnt know what was going on. 

Most antidepressants come with side effects and it can be very difficult to come off them 

I would start by asking myself why am i depressed? Am i depressed or tired? I am begining to think that depression has a cause. For example lifestyle, relationships, loss, bereavement etc.

There is no scientific evidence to support the low serotonin theory. 

My conclusion, and it is still early days, and im still learning, is that i am not depressed  im autistic x

I wish I knew I was autistic sooner too..

yes I agree it’s hard to separate the autism from depression. I think I can still be quite sure I’ve experienced depression but it’s difficult to separate the symptoms.

Tulip52 said:

I have been prescribed different ones over the past 40 years, and still struggled, and i didnt know i was autustic. I now realise that some of those visits to the doctor, saying i cant cope, where in fact melt downs. Antidepressants didnt help me my melt downs. 

Likewise, over 30 years of different antidepressants (tricyclics, SSRIs and SNRIs) with varying effects from nothing to debilitating side-effects to some efficacy and a recent autism diagnosis from GP. I have definitely suffered severe depression, PTSD and anxiety due to traumatic life events, and while dealing with these an antidepressant and counselling helped.

However there are many times when I have been unable to cope, to the point of being sectioned,  which I would now ascribe to burnouts. At these times, antidepressants had no, or only minor, effects, and frequently severe side-effects (e.g. unable to stand due to dizziness). 

Ladybug5 said:

am I just finding it harder to tell if I’m doing better because I can’t identify may own emotions as easily?

Totally relate to this too. I learnt to say an appropriate emotion through counselling, but I am not sure I feel it, except when I get desperately low, which I recognise because of the paths my thoughts follow.

I do think that autistic burnouts and depression can feed each other in a vicious circle and that for some, a shortish course of antidepressants might help break this, but we are still left with identifying and dealing with burnouts. What if the best we can hope for is a sort of flat, stable effect for the rest of the time?

I now have bad post-menopausal symptoms which HRT improves only marginally to throw into the mix. I am not sure a male psychiatrist, a young female mental health care coordinator and a male support worker (all NT) quite get my issues. My overworked older female GP seems to, but is not the appropriate person to talk to or to prescribe. Massive waiting lists for autism and for gynecology referrals.

I think I am probably feeling tired (I am getting poor and broken sleep), frustrated (I don't think I can find someone who will treat me holistically) and depressed (bouts of crying, negative thoughts). It is so hard working this out, then trying to understand other people, I am exhausted (burnout).

Tulip52 said:

I have been prescribed different ones over the past 40 years, and still struggled, and i didnt know i was autustic. I now realise that some of those visits to the doctor, saying i cant cope, where in fact melt downs. Antidepressants didnt help me my melt downs. 

Likewise, over 30 years of different antidepressants (tricyclics, SSRIs and SNRIs) with varying effects from nothing to debilitating side-effects to some efficacy and a recent autism diagnosis from GP. I have definitely suffered severe depression, PTSD and anxiety due to traumatic life events, and while dealing with these an antidepressant and counselling helped.

However there are many times when I have been unable to cope, to the point of being sectioned,  which I would now ascribe to burnouts. At these times, antidepressants had no, or only minor, effects, and frequently severe side-effects (e.g. unable to stand due to dizziness). 

Ladybug5 said:

am I just finding it harder to tell if I’m doing better because I can’t identify may own emotions as easily?

Totally relate to this too. I learnt to say an appropriate emotion through counselling, but I am not sure I feel it, except when I get desperately low, which I recognise because of the paths my thoughts follow.

I do think that autistic burnouts and depression can feed each other in a vicious circle and that for some, a shortish course of antidepressants might help break this, but we are still left with identifying and dealing with burnouts. What if the best we can hope for is a sort of flat, stable effect for the rest of the time?

I now have bad post-menopausal symptoms which HRT improves only marginally to throw into the mix. I am not sure a male psychiatrist, a young female mental health care coordinator and a male support worker (all NT) quite get my issues. My overworked older female GP seems to, but is not the appropriate person to talk to or to prescribe. Massive waiting lists for autism and for gynecology referrals.

I think I am probably feeling tired (I am getting poor and broken sleep), frustrated (I don't think I can find someone who will treat me holistically) and depressed (bouts of crying, negative thoughts). It is so hard working this out, then trying to understand other people, I am exhausted (burnout).