Scared of Antidepressants? Don't be!

Two thirds of men are helped by medication

I was lucky with antidepressants. The severity of my collapse made me more than willing to take whatever help I could get.

Therefore, when I was given my first prescription for an anti-depressant I took it immediately to the pharmacy and had it filled.

Unfortunately there are many who will not do this. Men see it as a sign of weakness, and the stigma of the medication can be greater in their minds than the illness itself

Click to read my story with antidepressants

Antidepressants have side effects, but depression is worse.

Your husband may have heard of the many side effects that are possible and think that they would rather be depressed than experience those difficulties.

That is a big mistake.

I did not have that luxury. I could not bear my distress and was determined to keep asking for help until I got it, no matter the form in which it came.

Here is what I learned from those who have taken antidepressant medication of some kind:

• Modern anti-depressants are more effective than those of an earlier generation. I learned this from several friends who had life long struggles with this illness and had experienced these changes first hand.

• Some medications will help your husband more than others. Therefore don't be afraid to try a different one if the first doesn't appear to help him with a reasonable amount of time.

• Starting an anti-depressant will bring side effects that are strong in the first few weeks and then fade a bit in the long term. Therefore don't give up taking them too soon.

• Most family physicians will prescribe these medications in conservative doses because they don't have as much experience with them as a psychiatrist, who will have more confidence in ramping up the dosage until the positive effects reach a plateau.

• Modern anti-depressants usually do not interfere with work; in fact they provide the focus necessary to complete tasks.

• Try not to listen to negative stories about medications from others. Each person's physiology acts differently depending on the dosage and type of medication. Something that did not agree with a friend might just be the right thing for your husband. Give him a chance to have his own negative story – or a successful one!

• No person should suddenly stop taking his medication without medical guidance.

• It is not always possible to identify the cause of a man's depression, and it is not totally clear to the medical profession how these medications work.

The Goal of Medication: Buying Time for Healing

Pharmaceuticals are chemicals made by human beings. Because of that they are blunt instruments. Side effects like dry mouth, constipation, impotence, weight gain and headaches come with the territory. The goal is see if your husband can endure those side effects while doing other things to bring healing.

Think of drugs like a piece of chewing gum used to plug a hole in a leaky bucket. While the big leak is plugged, other smaller leaks will spring up - called side effects.

You must use other means to fill the bucket back up. Sleep, nutrition, exercise, and counseling are things that bring healing. Your body needs time to put all those ingredients to work in bringing healing in your brain. While medication is used to stop some of the leaking, it is up to you and your husband to fill the bucket with things that heal. The longer you delay in changing to healing habits, the longer you will have to put up with the side effects of the medications.

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