This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Utah chapter.
Dealing with mental health issues in college isn’t easy; seeking and getting help can be just as difficult.The choice that I made to start a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) wasn’t an easy one, but navigating the weeks of nausea, super-human carb cravings, crying spells, and euphoria would have been quite a bit easier had someone told me these ten things about starting an antidepressant:
- You are not alone. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 4 people will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime.
- It doesn’t mean that you’re depressed. Antidepressants/SSRIs block the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain and are prescribed to help with the treatment of a variety of disorders and conditions. These include Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bulimia, Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and even stress that results from certain gastrointestinal diseases.
- You have options. When you talk to your psychiatrist or doctor about which antidepressant is right for you, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone’s body reacts differently to different medications. Have a candid conversation with your doctor so that you can decide which medication and dosage is right for you. Popular choices include Zoloft, Prozac, and Lexapro. The good news is that if you decide that a medication isn’t the one, you can work with your doctor to transition to a different one. Just make sure that you don’t make any adjustments in dosages or drugs without consulting your doctor first.
- The side-effects are real, but they don’t have to be debilitating. You’re already going through a hard time, and now you’re romantically disinterested in everything except for that loaf of garlic bread and a 12-pack of dinner rolls? It hardly seems fair. Side-effects like weight gain, intense cravings, fatigue, nausea, and low libido can resolve themselves once your body adjusts to the medication. If they don’t, you can work to resolve them in lots of ways, like snacking on proteins throughout the day to help with the nausea, or communicating with your partner about changes in libido. And if you need to, eat that entire loaf of bread. I’m not judging you.
- Things don’t get better right away. In fact, most antidepressants take about 4-8 weeks to begin working fully, and some come with an unpleasant adjustment period accompanied by worsened anxiety or depression, exhaustion, and even suicidal thoughts or actions. Some people decide that antidepressants or SSRIs aren’t right for them. Either way, it’s OK.
- You are not a doctor. Unless you are, which is great! However, if you’re not a medical professional, it’s crucial that you don’t skip doses, adjust your dosage, switch medications, or quit cold turkey without a consultation. If you decide that you want to come off of the medication, you’ll need to work with a doctor or psychiatrist to establish a weaning off process in order to avoid a serious relapse or a hellishly uncomfortable withdrawal process.
- You aren’t in for a lifetime of addiction. While SSRI’s are habit-forming drugs, starting one doesn’t sign away your life to years and years of pill popping. Getting off of an SSRI can be difficult, but it is possible—especially with proper communication and medical advice.
- Taking medicine doesn’t make you weak. No one tells a diabetic that they aren’t strong because they take their insulin every day, and a quarterback doesn’t get any flack for wearing a cast after their ankle surgery. Taking an antidepressant doesn’t mean that you’ve given up. Mental illness is really tough, but that means that you are, too.
- There are lots of different opinions about antidepressants. Yours is the only one that matters. Some people’s lives have been saved by antidepressants, and other people swear that they’re pills created by Satan himself. The fact of the matter is that you don’t owe these people anything. You owe it to yourself to make an informed decision about what’s best for you, regardless of the scary articles titled “Zoloft: Worse Than Meth” that your mom’s friend Nancy keeps sharing on Facebook.
- It gets better. It really does. For extra help, contact the University of Utah’s Counseling Center at http://counselingcenter.utah.edu/, the Health and Wellness Center at http://healthcare.utah.edu/wellness/, or call the 24/7 Crisis Line at 801-587-3000.