191 thoughts on “You’re not broken, and you’re not weak. Depression lies because Depression is a dick.”

1. Thanks. It means a lot when someone with a public profile is so honest about this.

2. You’re amazing Wil. I’ve been dealing with some of this for over a decade now and I’m happy that I’m finally in a place where I can help pull people back off the cliff. Doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes find myself there too, but it helps knowing there are great people lending a hand too. We might not change the world, but we can at least make it better for the time we are here. Cheers 🙂

3. Thanks a lot. Because of you, I am now on drugs. Been on them for 2.5 months now and I am not sure it changed anything. I still feel worthless and a loser. Mostly because of job and career failures.

   1. I know 2.5 months feels like an eternity, but it’s not. It can sometimes take a very long time to find the right medications and get them to kick in well. Just like a doctor may prescribe one blood sugar medicine, and then after testing shows it’s not working well, may switch you to another. Everyone’s body is different and everyone reacts to the medication in different ways.

      You’re not worthless, you’re not a loser, and the problem is probably not the job issues themselves but rather how depression makes you view and react to them. Be honest with your doctor about how the pills make you feel, and trust that, with help, some trial and error, a lot of hard work in therapy, and mostly time…. it really truly does get better. A lot better. I promise.

   2. Hey Hal, I’m sure you know but this is a helpful reminder that there are many different drugs for the same set of issues, and the first couple you try may not be the right one for you. Please follow up with your doctor/therapist and go over with them how you’re still feeling and what the meds do or don’t do for you.

      1. I’m taking the maximum dosage of Cipralex and that is one of the most common prescribed. It is hard to describe whether there is improvement or not. At the beginning, I thought there was but maybe I’m just getting used to its effects.

         1. I wish you good luck with Cipralex. By the time it “kicked in” for me it started making me feel worse. That doesn’t mean it will for you. I sincerely hope it helps. Life changes helped me in the end.

   3. Don’t give up, Hal. The medication helps, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like it is. It might be that your meds or your dose aren’t quite right. Or it might be that you need more than the meds, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ve been on anti-depressants for almost five years now. I should have been on them sooner, but I felt like I should have been able to handle it myself. I’ve had several career setbacks over the past few years, and now I’m unemployed again and the meds aren’t helping like they used to. It can be as much situational as chemical, and you might need to talk to someone too. My family has finally convinced me to try counseling/therapy, because the meds are enough to keep me functioning, but they aren’t enough to make me feel good about my life or myself.

      The most important thing to remember is to not give up. If it doesn’t seem like it’s working, talk to your doctor. Like Wil said, not every medication works on everybody, and sometimes the medication alone isn’t enough to make things better. But as long as you’re still here, there’s still a chance to find what works. So keep trying. And don’t believe the depression when it tells you that you are worthless or a loser. It lies. Everyone has value. There is no such thing as a worthless human being.

   4. Let your doctor know it isn’t working. There are several drugs and what works for one person will not work for everyone. And over the years you can burn out on a medication and have to try another. I burned out on 2. Talk therapy helps too. And again it may take several therapist and or doctors to find the right combination. I currently use an Alpha-Stim. I’ve had depression for over 40 years. I’ve seen numerous doctors, therapist and tried to figure it out on my own. Depression waxes and wanes too. I 1st seriously started working on treatment in 2001. Only in the last 2 years have a felt like it is under control and I finally do not have any depression symptoms. This is the longest I have ever been with no return of severe symptoms. But I am under no illusions that it is cured. I am always monitoring myself. And I would go back on meds if my current treatment stops working. So don’t give up. Keep working to take care of yourself

4. I remember saying to a friend, “but I don’t want to take medication for the rest of my life!” and she said, “why not? if it makes you better, why wouldn’t you?” I didn’t really have an answer for that. And 30 years later I am still alive, probably because I am medicated.

   1. Exactly! Most of us will brush our teeth twice a day, every day, for the rest of our lives. We don’t see it as a terrible burden, it’s just something you do to prevent problems. When you find a medication that works, it’s not a burden either.

5. 20 plus years of suffering….thank you..

6. Wil I felt like that for years that going on Anti-depressant would be a sign of defeat or weakness but it was the best thing I ever did – finally I know what happiness is and don’t struggle everyday. Only wish I had done it sooner.

7. I have my first appointment tomorrow with a doctor about anxiety and depression. I’ve always been open minded but this time it’s different. Thanks for writing this.

8. Thanks, Will. I had no idea until now you struggled with this.

9. Wil:

   I’d like your honest opinion on this – does taking the medication make you feel like you’re “not yourself” or is it more like “becoming yourself again”? I ask out of actual ignorance.

   I myself have never suffered from depression, but I do have claustrophobia – which was induced due to an accident. When it first struck the effect of it was astonishing to me. Nothing in half a century of experience prepared me for how overwhelming it was. I was prescribed the same medications you take, for the same reasons I suspect.

   Thing is, when I take them I no longer feel like myself. It’s hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t been through it but I feel like an imitation of myself on those (fortunately) rare occasions where I have had to medicate to return to any semblance of normal. I honestly believe that my own situation isn’t one that should be seen as an example but at the same time it’s difficult to talk to someone else about it. Hey, YOU try finding a group of claustrophobics anonymous (or a room for us to meet). ^_^

   (No worries – I have a good therapist these days)

   I am curious to how others in these types of situations feel – I have learned over the past year that in my own life I’ve been kind of a dick to people who have suffered depression and its various cousins because I don’t understand the condition. It’s not by intent but because of ignorance and that can be fixed. What I’ve been through isn’t the same at all but it seems to me that if I can better understand the PEOPLE going through it then I can be a better person myself.

   How has it been for you? And anyone else who wishes to chime in?

   1. I’d like your honest opinion on this – does taking the medication make you feel like you’re “not yourself” … ?

      I was really afraid of this, and I took the chance, anyway, because I couldn’t go on feeling the way that I was feeling. The only thing that changed for me was that I stopped feeling bad all the time. I’m just as creative, just as easily amused, just as cranky about dumb stuff, and basically the same person I always was, just without the lead apron of Depression hanging off me all the time. I’ve written about those specific feelings and experiences in other posts, if you want to know more.

10. Depression, and other mental illnesses, are caused by a malfunctioning organ, in this case, r brain. It’s helpful for me to remember that when I’m having bad days. If you’re pancreas, kidneys, liver, stomach, lungs, heart, etc, stopped working properly, you wouldn’t hesitate to get treatment. So why is the brain different?

11. I don’t take medication, but I think people should if they need it. The only caution is, make sure you know what the potential side effects are, and if you start feeling bad-weird, call your doc immediately.

    BTW, I told my psychologist about your “Depression Lies” thing, and she thought it was a great way to describe the problem.

12. I recently had to adjust my meds because my Black Dog has been digging around in brain garden and tearing down my CBT fences.

    Which is to say, it’s a process. And we’re not alone.

13. Awesome. Now we need some more advice from non-judgemental ninja… http://wilwheaton.net/2015/06/a-friendly-reminder-from-non-judgmental-ninja/

14. Mister Wheaton is very wise! With help, and good management, you can keep the Black Dog from overwhelming your life. It took me and my doctor a couple of tries to find the right medication, but we did, and 16 years on I’m doing well. Your brain is just another part of your body, and sometimes, it needs fixing.

    And kudos to you, Wil, for being such a fine role model for folks dealing with depression. Keep doing what you do! 🙂

15. Truth! My chemical imbalances and bad mental habits that caused my depression reinforced each other year after year, until it became nearly inescapable. I tried meds about 15 years ago and they did almost nothing to help. Recently my life was falling apart (again) as the depression took away my energy and motivation. I knew I couldn’t go it alone any more. My doctor prescribed the same thing I had 15 years ago, and I tried it anyway, and it didn’t help much the first couple months. Next time I saw him, he added something else that I hadn’t tried yet, and within 2 days, bingo, I felt human again. I was able to get up and do things that I enjoy. It’s not a fix-all, because I still have some bad mental habits, but they no longer control me like they did. I can fight back now and get better. It’s like being stuck in a gun battle, pinned down, unable to move, and the meds lay down cover fire so you can get up and make a run for it. Life is not suddenly perfect, but at least now I have a fighting chance. I’m so grateful for that chance. And in Canada, the meds only cost me about $40 a month. I’m glad I didn’t give up after the first couple months.

    1. TL;DR: Medication can be a life-saver if done in the right combination. It takes time to get it right.

    2. Can you say what meds they were especially the added one?

       1. Hal, you didn’t ask me but I want to share some advice. If you aren’t feeling much change and your doctor isn’t trying different meds or listening to what you are saying, don’t be afraid to find a new doctor. They aren’t ALL good. I’ve seen… seven different doctors (we’ve moved a lot) in the past 15 years. I was usually “satisfied” with them, but the doctor that I have NOW makes me realize just how sub-par several of the others were. It is IMPERITIVE that you feel listened to and a part of a TEAM, not just a patient. Depression is tricky, and not all doctors are good at listening and working with you.

       2. For me what worked was a combination of Effexor (Venlafaxine) and Wellbutrin (Mylan-Bupropion). I had tried the Effexor 15 years ago with little effect. It’s mainly an anti-anxiety medication, especially in lower doses (under 150mg), but can be effective against depression in higher doses (300mg). When increasing the dose (this time around) didn’t help, my doctor added 150mg of Wellbutrin to the 150mg of Effexor I was on. That made a big change. I had more energy. I think the energy might have been a little overwhelming or anxiety-causing if I didn’t have the Effexor in the background. The doctor said he had success with other patients on the same mix, so I’m glad it worked for me. It’s not a cure, but it gives enough of a boost that I can make better decisions. (Disclaimer: This mix might not work for you. “Ask your doctor.”)

          1. Hi Craig, I was having trouble until Wellbutrin was added to my other anti-depressant. It also did the trick for me. Glad to hear it worked for someone else, too.

16. Wil, a sound mind and a sound body are concomitant, related.

    Your work is very important and creates an immense strain on your body. Great nervous strength is necessary to undergo it and a weaker person would break down very early from it’s ravages. The direction you must take is to regard your work and your life as valuable. Food, sleep and exercise are the things that we need to stay in good health. I’ve learned that we have to choose our food properly and poor dietary choices are very bad material for building the kind of bodies we require for our work. For some, bad physical heredity, their weaknesses and temptations, require that they resolve to improve themselves with a contented heart and choose the proper nutrition.

    Sufficient sleep, neither too much or too little, brings wonderful results. When you sleep insure that the air around you is fresh and pure.

    And of course, exercise. Walking or bicycling is always better than driving for short distances.

    Overworking oneself can be calamitous. We have to measure our strength and not overtask anything. If there’s ever more work for me to do than can be done without overtasking my strength I leave it. If I try to do more than my strength permits all of my work is trashed, Will. Our strength always breaks down sooner or later when we strain ourselves.

    Never injure your body with mental worry, my friend, or unrest. Whenever my work is done for the day I let it go and think no more about it till the time arrives for me to take it up again. I don’t run around with my work like a squirrel in a cage. Worry kills far more than any work ever did. I never say that I can’t help thinking about my work. I don’t allow my mind to become a blood sucking vampire sucking the life out of me.

    I always think of something else. I go for a walk, a ride, I read a story, listen to you, watch TNG ( I have every episode) play the piano, find a game of chess at the university, enjoy stamp collecting, go hear a nice band or enjoy a movie.

    I do anything that occupies my mind harmlessly and healthily, remain contented, cheerful, and avoid discontent and an ill-temper.

    Above all, Wil, I thank God each day when I wake and when I lie down, and give thanks for the love in the world. I trust God with my life and my future. I also give thanks for your kindness and pray for your good health.

17. Thanks for sharing this, Wil. Kind of needed to hear this today. Cheers,

18. Thanks for taking part in the fight to get this stuff out of the closet and normalized.

19. Thanks, man. Really. I’m grateful that you are willing to be a part of the solution

20. I agree with all of this, but I also think it’s worth doing some research on amino acids. As it turns out, if your body doesn’t get the right amino acids, it has a hard time making the right neurotransmitters. Sometimes it has to take apart one neurotransmitter in order to use its components to make another neurotransmitter. Some people see vast improvement using supplemental amino acids UNDER A DOCTOR’S SUPERVISION. Like all things you put into your body, it’s complicated, and anything, even food, can have side effects.

21. My mind has been worse lately; like ghost voices or sounds screaming at times. Takes a minute to gain composure. I’m on medicare. When I checked I wasn’t covered for mental illneses. Last year I wrapped up about 7 months of therapy. I wish I could say it helped but talking to a friend would have worked just as well; except that I had no friends I wanted to talk about my problems with. I’m going to buy some vitamins, eat better, and exercise. Has that helped anyone, and what kind of vitamins did you use? Good luck Wil! I didn’t want to take anti-depressants because I didn’t want to become dependent. I know our brain chemistry is a bit messed up but hopefully with my new idea for a regimen I’ll feel better in my head. #alwayskeepfighting

    1. Andy: please look into your Medicare coverage a little more. No amount of healthy eating is going to make a difference in the symptoms that you are describing. According to the Medicare website, Medicare part B does cover mental health 🙂 Exercise will help with depression, and healthy eating is important, but audio disturbances aren’t necessarily just depression. I hope that you find some relief!!!

    2. Hi Andy, I’m on Medicare & Medicaid & I think it varies by state what they cover. my meds are covered by medicaid, but it’s for extremely low income individuals. I’ve been on mental health meds since the mid 90’s, and could have used them way before then, I ended up having fibromyalgia & other kinds of chronic pain and they tend to prescribe anti-depressants when you have chronic pain. I have been depressed since I was 15 & I’m 54 now. I’ve been through almost every antidepressant available, well, not all of course but many. I take 3 now, one is a mood stabilizor that people with bi-polar take, I’m not diagnosed with bi-polar but the med helps. I also take Vibryd & Abilify and I know they are helping the most for me than anything else has. But there is so much trial & error involved. I went off Abilify once w/o telling my dr & ended up having horrific hallucinations for months. Ended up in hospital. I too fought with the idea of being on meds for years and years but I do believe that depression is a physical disease. Talking with someone can help a lot too of course. Also maybe try Magnesium? It’s supposed to be good for anxiety, I’ve been taking it. Can’t really tell, but it’s worth reading up on. Take care and hope things get better for you.

       1. Try not eating Wheat, Grains, Dairy for a week. Low carb, moderate protein, high fat diet. http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2015/10/toadstools-rotten-meat-and-grains/

22. This is so excellent. It really speaks to the issues inherent with depression and other mental illnesses. Now if only health “insurance” would catch up to current medications and treatments so they didn’t cost an arm and a leg… Thanks for your honesty, Wil. You’re speaking truth to a lot of people.

23. Not being a sufferer myself (at least, so far as I’ve noticed/been diagnosed), I am curious about a few questions, but I’ll limit myself to one:

    -Does this feeling (of “being broken”) vary by society? I’m wondering if there are socially constructed norms around mental health, particularly around the notion that one can “fix themselves” or should “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” Is dealing with depression more difficult in some cultures than in others?

    1. I can’t speak to society as a whole but I know my upbringing and friends had a lot to do with my feeling broken and resisting getting help. Mental illness was always viewed as a failure of character by the very people who should have been encouraging me to get care. 25 years into this battle, I’m finally armed with the tools I need to fight in order to function every day and I have cut most of my family and those friends out of my life because all they could do was criticize me for wanting to get better or pretend that nothing was wrong. Finally accepting that I’m not broken has given me good ground to stand on to support my 19 year old who is also dealing with mental illness.

       1. I was raised very conservatively Christian and when I would talk to various pastors about my struggles with The Black Dog starting at around age 13, I was told that my depression was because I didn’t love gd enough, didn’t pray enough and didn’t tithe enough. NOBODY ever suggested medication or therapy. No one. I didn’t start on antidepressants until I was in university and and it took me (and several different doctors) 6 years of trial and error before I found an antidepressant combo that works for my brain chemistry. I have been on it for 10 years now and it doesn’t stop depression/the Lies from coming back but what my meds DO do is provide a buffer, keep me sleeping (my autistic brain is missing an “off” switch for sleep – the Seroquel provides that beautifully), keep me eating (I *lost my freshman 15 and then some in university), and it slows my brain down from a frenetic whrl to a normal speed. I may still be fighting the Black Dog, but my Celexa and Seroquel are like raid buffs for fighting back. I still have to do the mental work in reminding myself that the depression is lying, that it does not have my best interests at heart and that it wants me to feel even more miserable, but at least I have help in doing so.

24. I really appreciate that people are so open to talking about this, and that Wil is so awesome to bring this super important conversation to the forefront. Only a couple years ago I felt as though I was weak, pathetic, and useless because of what I was going through. I was called a large number of pretty awful things by my family and friends, lost my business due to a business partner that refused to understand what was happening to me, and nearly lost my life.

    I received my diagnosis of a mood disorder not too long ago.Though I had been experiencing them my entire life, it was not until I was into my mid twenties that my symptoms began to severely disrupt my daily life. I was quickly put on antidepressants, the first of which caused anxiety attacks, the second of which I had a severe systemic allergic reaction to, and the third of which made me feel suicidal if I went on a therapeutic dose and if I lowered the dose I felt as though I was watching my life through a screen and could not feel anything.

    It was 8 months of back and forth with these meds, losing my job, nearly losing my family because they did not try to understand what I was going through, losing friends who thought I was just crazy, and a suicide attempt, that brought me to a place where I wanted to be in control again instead of feeling like I was being changed so drastically by little white pills. I decided to research different methods of healing from mental disorders. Because of my background in biology, I was able to sift through a lot of bad information in order to get to the good stuff. I also had the help of several mentors who were able to point me in the direction of authors and titles to study.

    From my research, I decided to focus on healing my gut first and foremost. I’ve been at this a little less than a year, and already my depressive episodes have decreased, my anxiety attacks have disappeared, and I feel more steady, settled, and all-around healthier. Without medication. It is the most freeing thing. I’m not knocking meds–sometimes they are necessary–but I think it is important for a new understanding of “mental” illness to become commonplace. It must lose it’s stigma, as Wil describes, and it must be seen for what it truly is: a full-body system issue (more on that in a second). Otherwise we as a society will never come close to really accepting and respecting these problems for what they are and how to mitigate their effects.

    Depression is an awful son of a bitch. Thing about it is, and something most people are not aware of, as the research is only just now becoming popular: It isn’t intrinsically a brain issue. I’ve linked a couple articles below to some research regarding this statement.

    Depression, as with just about every mental illness, is a full-body, systemic problem, often starting in the gut. Neurotransmitters are not only in the brain. They are free-circulating within the body. They do more than transmit “thoughts”. For example, 90% of the body’s serotonin is located in the gut (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002927000019705). And if the gut is compromised, so then is one’s entire body, causing symptoms of dysfunction, including mood disorders (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166223613000088).

    There is so much knowledge out there on these systems that is not being put into practice by mainstream medicine. So much knowledge that I feel the every day person who is dealing with depression, anxiety, OCD, ADD, bipolar disorder**, etc really needs to know in order to live their lives to the fullest. I can only hope that by sharing my story and just a small bit of what I’ve learned, I can help someone just as I am helped by so many on my journey.

    In no way am I trying to disregard what Wil has said. I feel that he has brought so much awareness and humanity to what can be a little understood affliction that affects so many people. We’re all in this together. We can all help each other with encouragement and our experiences and knowledge we have gained through our struggles. You’re all beautiful, amazing people, and you can get through these difficult times!

    **those, by the way, are all the diagnoses and acronyms that have been given to me. Such fun 😉

    1. Oh! I should also note that I’ve been under the supervision of a doctor and several therapists this entire time. I would never advise doing anything without supervision by a professional of some sort.

    2. Wow, thanks for sharing this! I have bipolar disorder and anxiety. I read some of your source info and it is extremely interesting!

    3. I would suggest Wheat Belly Total Health for articles to research. Wheat Belly is the original book, Total Health is the update, the others are recipes. http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/books/

25. I suffered from Depression for years and My therapist showed me where I was. I didn’t realize how depressed I was. Though now i don’t suffer from depression, though I have rough spots, I am aware that I am not depressed, just sad at moments and I now have tools to help me understand how to overcome it.

    I agree with Will 100%, Depression “lies”.

    For me, the psychiatrist wanted to put me me on medication, but I am a avid ‘no i am not going on any drugs’. I categorized them as ALL drugs though there ARE good drugs that can help. The appropriate evaluation of your situation is key! When I said I am NOT going to take the drugs, I knew the only alternative was to keep evalutated and talking with my Therapist. What did I learn?

    Sleep – appropriate amount and consistent is key
    Nutrition – getting the right food and amount at the right time is key.
    Exercise – to get the body to release the toxins that it builds up which can cause all kinds of mental issues.

    I also by seeing my doctor showed me that my Vitiman D levels were so low that I needed to get more ‘sunlight’ and VitD. So sometimes mulitple re-evaluations is a way to gain knowledge. Sometimes a few things are the key, sometimes you need a jump start with medication and other times it is a combo.

    But I agree that to see a doctor is key.

    In my case, Medication would have probably been a bad idea, because what was discovered in me was a long term allergy of Wheat that was causing me great depression. I couldn’t think straight or even feel happy. the light of life seemed so dull. It wasn’t until I learned of this (seeing a doctor and getting tested to find out other issues) that helped me and started my ability to overcome my depression.

    In short, see a doctor. Be open to checking all avenues. Mine was a combination of ‘food’ and lack of tools.

    #alwayskeepfighting #bestubbornagainstdepression

26. I also should mention I heard voices in my head. it wasn’t until I had the allergies under control that all that went away.

27. Thanks Will.

28. Thank you, Wil

29. Society itself is really hard on people with depression in my opinion and thats where the feelings of there is something broken in me. I grew up in a family that doesn’t believe in mental illness and although i had severe anxiety from the age of 5 and depression from 10 years old on, i was teased incessantly from my family (including parents) about how anxious i was and about my crying spells. That is why i didn’t start taking medication until i was 20 or so. I am now 27 and im on 3 different antidepressants, wellbutrin, lexapro, and remeron for sleep. I still struggle alot of days but it was much worse without the meds. A great campain is Jared Padalecki’s Always Keep Fighting charity. When i feel low i put on my supernatural always keep fighting sweatshirt (proceeds go to a anti suicide/depression charity) and it reminds me to so just that. Always keep fighting!!

    1. I grew up in a family that doesn’t believe in mental illness

       Too many of us did, and that’s why I speak out about it now, so that the next generation won’t suffer like our generation does.

       1. thank you for giving us this safe space.

30. I love that you’re so open about this. I had a hard time telling others I had depression and it took a while for me to go to the doctors to ask for help. Some one explained anti depressants as a ladder when you’re stuck in a hole. You can dig and climb on your own, but no matter what, you need help, and these are that help. I just liked the analogy. We need more role models who are open and honest about mental illness and letting people know you’re not broken, there’s nothing wrong with you.

    1. I like that analogy. That’s what it’s like for me – without the boost, I wouldn’t get far.

31. With the help of your response to me on Tumblr and the support of my husband of forever and my own realization that I was beyond healing myself on my own… I finally sought out help and it turned out I was struggling with Bipolar II. I cried and blamed myself and hated myself, because not only did I feel that I am damaged, I’ve potentially damaged my daughter. That’s what my mind was telling me. But my life was so horrible and joyless at that point, that I needed to fix it. This is only the second time I shared this beyond my husband and our best friend. I’m too scared about the stigma that goes with the diagnosis, especially with the judgmental and emotionally dangerous people I am around. But taking the medicine has made me feel a great deal better and I can function a little better. Am I still finding a balance? Yes! I was only diagnosed in December the day before I turned 35 (happy 35th to me). It’s so hard, but your repeated inspiration in posts and positive support of people with disorders really helped. Only my husband ever really understood me and wanted to help…. no one else really understood or wanted to reach out to help what they saw as someone in need, because it’s always “you need to change your perspective on life” or “you just need to get over it.” So thank you a million times over for being an advocate and an inspiration for those who are scared to take the next step, who feel lost and confused, and for those people who just sometimes need someone who has been there to answer a question.” Thank you… thank you… thank you.

32. I never thought of it like that… “Depression is a dick.” That works. I’ll try to remember that the next time I feel like ending it all. It might help. It’ll certainly do more than the lack of help I’ve been able to receive from my doctor on this issue. I mean, it won’t be as effective as actually receiving medical help, probably, but it’ll give me a place to direct my negative feelings, other than at myself.

33. I was on anti-D’s too.
    I felt really really good, after a while.
    So I stopped taking them.
    Big Mistake.
    After a serious anxiety issue, I revisited the doctor and re-started the meds.
    I’m doing better, thank you.

34. Hi Wil: I’ve been a fan for a long time… I am about 10 years older…. I know, my son says “Dad, loose the ( … ) … Oops. Just a way to partition a thought or two. In any case, I began taking anti-depressants 10 years ago, when I had a heart attack at 43. I was an active Dad then… Doc suggested an anti-depressant to help cope – the problem is that Effexor is also the drug used in prison for inmates that need to be chemically castrated. Ahem. So, instead of chasing my wife around the house, there was no playing house. Not to mention the other blood pressure meds. Would have been nice to know the side effects before hand. All I’m saying is to be careful to get patients of Depression to perhaps get a second opinion before agreeing to a course of treatment. You see, the other side effect of Efferor (Venlafaxine) is addiction… apprently it is twice as addictive as heroin or nicotine. I have tried to come off several times, but it’s worse than the disease itself.

35. Recent studies seem to have found a correlation between inflammation and depression, calling depression an “allergic response to inflammation”. May be worth googling and finding out more. I know I feel always a little less “depressed” when I take a once a day dose of ibuprofen… which is only recommended on a “use sparingly as needed” when suffering high blood pressure… Be careful

    http://www.feelguide.com/2015/01/06/new-research-discovers-tha-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction-to-inflammation/

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/04/depression-allergic-reaction-inflammation-immune-system

    1. Wheat, grains, and dairy are the most inflammatory foods. Suggest a low carb diet, I am trying the Wheat Belly diet. The one wrong item on this article is including whole wheat, instead all grains should be avoided. http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet/anti-inflammatory/the-arthritis-diet.php

36. Thanx Reagan now mentality challenged people must deal with untrained officer

37. Thank you

38. All true.. (You sound like an advertisement for pharmacopia, but I digress). Retired RN..age 73..Did great on 150 mg efflexor except got worse case ever ‘hot flashes’..1000x worse than menopause. So, 2 years in, doing fine except miserable flashes, with MD help, weaned off carefully..Absolutely FINE until 5-9 days off..Severe irritability episodes, NO sweating thank goodness, increasing anxiety, good old IBS, which had vanished weeks into efflexor reared it’S ugly head..and downhill since Dec. Recent respiratory medical emergency, short hospitalization, some scary, claustrophobic inducing tests, now home with some unknown pending diagnoses has me angry, lost, hating my life, unable to mover oUT of Negative City..
    Trying to get thru to PMD.
    So to my question..Any progress on meds that DON’T induce sweating?..That torture interfered with any quality of life..Could not go thru that again..ruined life!

39. Thanks Wil. A most excellent response. If you aren’t accustomed to taking medications it can be a tough pill to swallow (I know, bad joke) but you are absolutely right. Once I started feeling better, I could think better and make better decisions. A win/win.

40. Thank you. Thank you so much for helping yourself, which in turn allows you to help others. Thank you, Wil.

41. And remember anti depressants do not work for everyone. 15 or more anti depressants over 25 years and they haven’t cured my Agoraphobia, nausea, panic attacks and depression. They are good to try but people must realize they don’t work for everyone. I’m now trying cannabis and hopefully that might be my cure! Fingers crossed.

    1. I have heard of a DNA screening that helps with diagnosis and treatment for mental illness. Know anything about it?

42. Thanks for this. We share similar views, so we must be right:
    http://funnelcakesnotincluded.com/2014/07/15/goodbye-dick/

43. Paxil is evil shit!
    Withdrawal is even worse.
    I’ll take the depression.

    1. You know, I took Paxil for seven years. For me, it was a miracle. My husband was diagnosed with depression a few years back and ONE DOSE resulted in a trip to the ER. So while it CAN be evil for some people, it isn’t always. I’m sorry that you had such a negative experience.

44. Dear Mr. Wheaton, thanks for your post. While I tried meds and they backfired–making me worse, not better–it took an eye-opening life event (the end of a marriage) to help me start recovering from a long depression. You’re right, though, “depression is a dick” because along the way it messes with you, lets you see signs of hope that you might be getting better and then without warning comes storming back to say “hello old friend, you didn’t really thin I would leave you did you?”
    But, I get your point about meds, and this is why I was willing to try them when my physician recommended them.
    Cheers to you!
    RHP

45. Thank you so much for putting it in these terms. I hope many people read this and get the help they need.

46. You’re a kind of hero for me. Your posts have pulled me through some dark days and borne me up just when I needed a smile, at times. You can be so incredibly insightful and wise. And witty. All traits I find admirable, and so your words carry weight. Thank you for just being -present- like you are. The aloof and untouchable are so remote they just float away. You’re here and immediate, and you speak the truth. And here’s another letter, even addressed to someone else, that makes things just that tiny bit more bearable. ~bless

47. I often use the diabetes analogy when speaking about how depression is most often physical in basis. But it’s never as simple as just taking a medication. Since depression affects how we thing, we also need to work on changing that. Therapy is often the best way to do that, as we can’t always just change our thinking without help.

    Also, not everybody responds to medication. One type of medication might not work where another does. While the newer SSRIs and SNRIs are effective, some people respond better to the older trycyclic, or MAOIs, It’s usually trial and error to find out which one works best for you. I got lucky, the first one I tried worked pretty well, and its successor worked even better. But even within the same class of anti-depressants, one different formulation may work better than another.

    Your point is right on, though. Even when the cause is emotional, the reactions are biochemical, and medication can ameliorate symptoms. For those like myself who suffer from chronic or clinical depression, it may turn out to be a life-long need, much like insulin.

48. After 11 years of depression, I am finally in remission. It was a horrible 11 years and while I would never want to live through it again, I look back on the time as a lesson rather than a regret. I started feeling better around my 29th birthday (last June) and what really changed everything for me was getting a sleep study done, using the CPAP I was prescribed, getting my medication combos correct, and going to bed every night rather than staying up for more than 24 hours at least twice a week. Three months ago, I started my at-this-point-in-my-life dream job and I actually like going to work. I never would have thought it was possible to be happy again, but everyone can tell I’m feeling better because I’m more animated and lively. While medications aren’t going to fix the problem on their own, they can certainly help get you in the right direction.

49. I would just like to share that I am a recovering addict of 21 years…clean and sober, cocaine being my drug of choice….but anything worked. the first 5 years of my recover my therapist would suggest anti-depressant and/or anti-anxiety medication. finally he said to me that it didn’t have to be so hard…..as it was getting harder and harder to climb out of the hole. For the past 15 years I have on 5 different meds for anxiety and depression and a year ago and allowed myself to gradually reduce my meds. This did not happen all of a sudden and without professional perspective. The pills play one part in finding that piece of mind and self love…..there is so much else that has to happen….how we think, how we behave, how we feel, and balancing life on life’s terms. I do believe the medications help me along the way but with the added work on parts of me I can participate in…..like my heart…..and parts of me I can choose not to participate in like………my negative thoughts…….all will be well…..

50. Thanks for dealing with my side effects for me.

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