>>There's more to depression than just take care of serotonin levels and everything's dandy.<<
I agree. However, I had a good reaction to Zoloft, which is similar to Prozac, and it helped me understand that part of depression is "not me" in the sense of being something physiological. I remember very well waking up and saying to myself, "this is different - this is better." I tried it when I was having a very hard time, and it did help me get through it, but the side effects outweigh the benefits most of the time for me. When I start feeling blackness closing in I ask my mother for a few of her "Vitamin Z"s - just a day or two is all it takes for me, but I am what they call a "quick responder."
Some people don't have a good reaction to Prozac or similar pills at all. Some do. You can keep trying pills until you find something that works, or as Mq suggested, cognitive therapy can help. For me, lots of sunshine helps - shorter days make me depressed, longer days I feel better. Regular exercise helps most people with depression. Being in love can make it go away. Eating chocolate cheers some up. Stopping drinking helps many.
Some cultures seem more prone to depression than others, e.g., Slavs, Scots.
Some people have no idea what I am talking about. |
