What treatments have you tried for depression? What works for you?

hi x im new here too.  i am not sleeping again! things from my past are haunting me.  ive already had several lots of counselling and not sure i can go through anymore.  but what if i need to get these last hurdles done and maybe finally free from all the ghosts?oh drat ive just realised ive put this in the wring discussion. sorry

Hello all. I'm new here. 

I was taking Sertraline for panic and depression. I was on it for 20 years and this year I decided that it wasn't working any longer. I withdrew over 3 months from a 150 mg daily dose. I started to feel much better, like I was coming out of a fog. 

Then a lot of life issues ensued and I felt that I needed to take something again. I took Citalopram 20mg and all hell broke loose. I began waking up in the night with full blown panic attacks and being fearful of everything. I persevered for 5 weeks taking Citalopram until eventually I knew they were just making things worse. 

At the moment I am not taking anything and don't know which way to turn. Feel hopeless and anxious constantly. I don't feel like antidepressants are the answer. I do have some bereavement counselling coming up soon. 

It is very helpful reading your posts. Thank you and God bless

I was taking Venlafaxine but found that it didnt help me at all and actually made my suicidal thoughts worse. I am now on Fluxotine and this is a little bit better but I dont feel it is working as well as it should do. Is there any tips on helping me when i'm feeling down or ways to control my anxiety and bad episodes, especially recently with my really bad panic attacks. Any help would be appreciated 

I am on 200mg of sertraline, the full dose and am nearly functioning fully but I sometimes forget if my routine is changed.

Hi Kerryx, them venlafaxine i got put on them after been on cilitopram for a few years and took my first overdose, so they put me on them and OMG they were just bad for me i diddnt realise at first but they made me sooooooo worse and far more depressed like you, it was only when my dad died that i went straight back to doctors and changed back to cilitopram which has been increased, however still depressed and addicted to zoppiclones, but tomorrow is a big ay for me as ive been seeing a drug specialists and they have devised me a plan on how they are going to withdraw me off the zoppies, im excited and very scared but i carnt wait to be free of them :) xxx

I was on lustral for 3 months. It made me feel kind of weird, like I didn't have any strong feelings towards anything but I felt kind of upbeat. It gave me the sweats and frequent nosebleeds and it lowered my sex drive to about 0. It worked for me at the time but I wouldn't want to go on it again.

Hello all. 

Having tried to maintain the anxiety and depression without anything and not doing very well, I am now on Mirtazapine. I've been taking them for 2 weeks and hoping they lift me out of this dark pit. 

Sending my best wishes to you all, knowing how difficult this is to deal with.

could anyone tell me if doctors are supposed to test you for low levels of serotonin before giving an antidepressant...as i have had fluoxetine and it made me feel drowsy and sick so i gave up first day...

does anyone else feel that family and friends never understand depression.   They think I'm just being weak and are fed up with seeing me crying.

Alison. I wasn't tested for serotonin levels when I was prescribed antidepressants many years ago. 

As for family and friends not being very understanding. I think it is from a lack of, just that, understanding, a lack of knowledge. Depression is serious, and well meaning people may say things that are not at all helpful. 

Don't give up the fight. You will win.