has anyone found

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anti-depressants helpful? of no consequence? harmful?

i've never tried them but i'm depressed all the time and i've been thinking about the option increasingly lately.
sooo, WTH. opinions?

hmmm...

different effects on everyone. they helped me but I had bad side effects so couldn't continue.

my mother said a specialist told her people on the spectrum shouldn't be on medication unless it's absolutely necessary.

Been on Celexa for years. It has certain side effects I don't like, but it keeps me from getting way down depressed.

side effects such as...?

it made a lot of my hair fall out. luckily I had thick hair to begin with. I don't anymore.

also made me very jittery. the liquid medication of one made my throat burn so bad I couldn't take it either.

being jittery doesn't sound so bad.

hair loss on the other hand seems more of a deterrent.

i think i read an article on aspergers and biochemistry and how some kind of deficiency or having too much of some sort of chemical that the body produces naturally could result in some hair loss.
i forget what it was though. but i'm betting it's one of the ingredients in that medication.

maybe it was dopamine? idk

Prior to Asperger's diagnosis I tried them and got no good from them.
I got impotence when on Zoloft.
Hypomania from Paxil.

I now take fish oil and St Johns Wort with no problems and it seems to be helpful.

I have been on Celexa and did not like it. I have been on Omega 3 fish oils and lethicin for over a year and a half and find it eases my panic and anxiety much better for me.

I am on Celexa and love it. It really helps me.

It was horrible for about five weeks. I was really sick from it. Nausea, headache, clenched jaw, fatigue, horrible taste in my mouth. It didn't give me dry mouth, but made me slobber all over for a few days. Now all the side effects have gone away, except I'm twitchier/jumpier than I used to be. But I don't mind it as much as I used to. If something startles me I jump harder but I think it's funny instead of being embarrassed/anxious/upset about it.

I've been on Paxil and it's helped a lot. I think it may have contributed to some weight gain, though. I tried to get off of it a few months ago to see if i'd be alright without it now, but i had really bad withdrawals... So i think i'll stay on it.

I firmly believe if not for anti-depressants I would be dead.

flaming shorts: i've never heard anything about fish oils and st johns wart...is it an alternative? where'd you hear of it?

sinsboldly: you seem to be of agreement on fish oils but differ on the lethicin

i've never heard of these as being effective for anything except regular bodily health; dietary supplements. i'm surprised to hear they're effective in such a way.
can you shed any light on this?

I take zoloft AND wellbutrin.

I have zero side effects with either. I take the wellbutrin because it makes me not want to smoke cigarettes as much. It's the same as zyban. The zoloft is because I'm bipolar as well as having AS. I HAVE to medicate the bipolar because it is a genetic chemical brain imbalance that needs treatment to keep me alive and stable.

not being able to pop one off, and now i can just see your unwilingness to take an anti-depressant

The fish oils help me think, I have an easier time concentrating. The lethicin is an emulsifying agent that helps me metabolize body fat. I have lost 72 pounds since last October and although I am on a 'plateau' and just maintaining a moderate weight, I am glad to continue to take the weight off. Not all of my issues are neurological. . .