Antidepressant medication

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Hi. I'm new here.
I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to post this but I saw some others who posted about depression so I hope it's okay :)

I'm in my last year of high school and it's really stressing me out and it's probably my own fault.
I can't focus on doing my homework at all and I spend most of my time just laying in bed doing nothing or sleeping. I just don't feel like doing anything. Sometimes I don't even feel like answering messages from friends. I have so many people I need to answer but I just can't pull myself together.
I always start on my homework the day before I have to hand it in and sometimes even the same day. My grades are slowly slipping but it's not that bad. Just not as good as it used to be.

I told this to my doctor and she told me that I have a mild depression. I got some pills that I should start on today but I'm really scared of taking it. I don't feel sad enough that I would actually take pills for it. I cry easily, take things too personally and get hurt/sad easily. She told me that the pills would make me care less and less sad when people hurt me but I'm still too scared to take them. She told me that it's not addicting at all and the pills have the smallest dose.
But I honestly feel like I can live with easily crying in front of people and feeling down in my class. (my classmates doesn't really talk to me, and I kind of feel like they're making fun of me sometimes and don't include me in anything)
She told me that people show their depression in different ways. I'm tired all the time and can't focus on anything, therefore not getting anything done. So the pills would help me pull myself together and do my homework.

I know this sounds kind of weird but if I were to take the pills, it's only to be to focus on homework so I really need to know if any antidepressant medication (I know they're all different and it's not like I don't trust my doctor at all but I just need some kind of reassurance) have made you better at being able to focus on any kind of task.

I don't think badly of people who take antidepressant medication and I do want to feel better but I'm just really scared of not being able to feel happy without pills. Really really random but my grandmother was so addicted to all her different kind of pills that she took one of each everyday even if she didn't have any abdominal pains, headaches and whatever she had pills for. This is what have made me so scared of taking any kinds of pills. I don't even take painkillers because of that.

I'm sorry if it's too long or too much random information/too detailed. I just really feel like telling somebody :(
English is not my first language so sorry for any mistakes! I hope it's understandable.

Last edited by hixo on 22 Nov 2013, 2:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hi hixo. Welcome to Wrong Planet. Feel free to dump all your problems here. I do and it feels better just talking about them.

Medication really can help. I started on the lowest dose possible, and worked up slightly because I was nervous about taking it. I don't see it as taking it to be "happy", but taking it for smoother function.

This is not necessarily depression.

Lack of motivation and lack of focus might be symptomatic of depression.

Anti depressants might help you focus.

What is the name of the pills?

Would you be afraid of taking a pill every day to treat your cancer? Depression is exactly like that. If it is not controlled, it can kill you. I started taking it at age 20, and it is the reason why I am still here at 44.

Thank you very much


My doctor told me not to think of the medicine like that. It wouldn't make me feel like everything is perfect and the happiest person on earth but just make the days easier.
Thank you for answering!



They're called Citalopram


I don't doubt that it helps a lot of people everyday and it's I find it really amazing that it helps

The thing is, I'm really not feeling that depressed and I'm not even close to being suicidal. It's really only the situation in school that can make me feel a little depressed from time to time. I'm pretty happy otherwise. I'm graduating around May/June and won't be around the people that sometimes make me feel depressed.
I only went to the doctor because of the lack of focus and motivation to do anything because it's stressing me out that I don't start on my homework earlier and can't stay focused once I start and I don't even hate school or anything like that.

Hi, a situation in which you are excluded from the group is a hurtful, difficult, awkward situation. And yes, things will be better in the future, but you kind of need a good present, too.

One thing, try and be open to non-school social groups. For example, maybe animal rescue, this is something which is somewhat popular here in the United States and often they welcome new volunteers and people willing to do the work, although sometimes these groups can be as disorganized as anything else.

I struggle with perfectionism from time to time---the feeling that I should do something perfectly---and that can be a big trap. With the homework, you do want to get started on the early side and then do a good job but not worrying about whether it's a perfect job. I personally also like to 'pre-study' math and science classes. This works for me, but I think it might be boring for other people.

I have struggled with depression from time to time, and I think not having energy to do much, or where everything feels like a task, that can be one type of depression.

I have not yet tried antidepressants, but I like knowing that they are available. What I have read is that everyone's biochemistry tends to be a little different, so it takes time, and also it is trial and error in a respectful way whether a particular antidepressant will work for a particular person. It typically takes 4 weeks for the antidepressant to work, and sometimes as long as 8 to 12 weeks.

Phasing into it with doses on the small side is probably a good idea. And also I've read a number of sources that it's important to taper off, even if the medicine doesn't seem to be working, your body may have gotten used to it, so it's still important to taper off.

From a WebMD source about one out of five people have symptoms if they quit too abruptly. Now, they say it's not addictive but you can have withdraw symptoms. That may seem like splitting hairs, but maybe only some of the bad aspects of a potentially addictive substance and not others. Or, maybe just the idea of your body getting used to a medication.

Now, this WebMD source also says, don't taper off without the advice of a doctor. But really, I think a person could go down to 3/4's of a dose and tell their doctor, The side effects were bad, so Yes, I've gone down to 3/4's of a dose.
http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/w ... epressants

I hope some of this helps. Welcome to Wrong Planet, and please think of us as a resource and also a forum where you yourself can help others if you want to.

Citalopram has no real reputation for addiction so is safe enough from that aspect. You'd need to give it a few weeks to see if it works. In the first week or so, you'll probably feel a bit odd as your body adjusts to it. After that, you'll probably not notice it apart from sexual disfunction. Then you get to see if it helps with focus or not.

Other things you could research include st johns wort, 5htp, chamomile tea. If its gloomy where you are consider a full spectrum light bulb.

I currently take Citalopram (sp). It works well for me with no noticeable side effects.

I've taken anti-depressants before this, generally a few years on them, then a few years off of them.

I was frightened before I first started, for many of the reasons you mention. The main benefit I experience is that they help me focus and get things done.

Maybe just give it a shot and see how it goes for you. If the results are not what you want them you can stop (after consulting with the doctor, of course).

I finally was able to see a doctor at the county clinic and am starting using generic Prozac. Assuming this has a time period to kick in as i am not feeling any different at this time.

Interesting first post. Welcome. I see that you have just joined. Why don't you come to the new member section and introduce yourself there?

Thank you so much for your reply!
Good to hear that it can help with the same problems I have
The day I bought the medicine I was like crying and just couldn't take the pill but I've taken my medicine for two days now. Hopefully it will help me in a few weeks

I'll tell you up front that I am anti-psychiatric medication. I have have had nothing but horrible side effects with these meds.

From the research I have seen, talk therapy, as well as other non-medical modalities like full-spectrum light therapy have had better effects on depression than medications.

In addition, did your primary care physician do a complete physical work up on you? There are a lot of times that a malfunctioning thyroid will cause depression. If he or she hasn't, it would be a good idea to have it done.

Can't edit, so I'll postscript. I've decided to give up on medication right now, because of side effects. I'm tired of feeling unfocused and fuzzy headed, and inhibition just goes out the window. D#mned if you do and d#mned if you don't, I guess.

I would suggest reading some of Temple Grandin's on work on medications. From what I understand aspies tend to be very sensitive to anti-depressants.

My first experience with citalopram was not good. The quote below describes the experience very well. It was absolutely terrifying.

This was taken fromhttp://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf101713-0-30.html
I now suspect that I was on way too high of a dose. Has anyone else here had a similar experience? If so, have you had a better experience on a lower dose or a different drug?

I have had a very similar experience. Now is the time to be getting help. My depressions start off very slow and mild but many times end up getting much worse very quickly at some point. For me it goes from not starting homework early enough, to not finishing some homework on time, to not turning in any homework at all, then I start missing classes, etc.

I used to think this way. I still do not like having to regularly take medicine; but I realized, that not taking medication did not change the fact I needed it. I function better with medicine. If you had a broken leg would you say, I am scared that if I get crutches I will not be able to walk without crutches.


As I said I went through a similar experience to you. When I first went to my doctor he said it was probably depression and prescribed me citalopram, which did not improve my focus and my grades were still horrible. Eventually though I was put on Adderall (amphetamine salts) and was diagnosed with ADHD. Adderall has been effective in improving my focus when taken in the correct dose. A 10mg dose relaxes me and allows to me focus on work; however, a 20mg dose stresses me out, I become very fidgety, slightly aggravated and end up doing something completely useless (like playing solitaire) for 3hrs. Adderall doesn't really help with motivation, but it does make it much easier for me to work when I want to. Finally, I have found that regular exercise is very beneficial.

If this anti-depressant works for you it might help you focus since you wouldn't be as distracted by feeling sad, depressed and left out. But there is a chance it wont be the right medication for you, in which case you might have to try something else but the only way to find out is to take it and see if it helps.


I have not had good luck with anti-depressants, all of them I have taken increase my anxiety and have other unpleasant effects....but everyones brain is different so what works for one person might not work for another.