You arrive for work and someone informs you that you have until five o’clock to clean out your office. You have been laid off. At first, your family is brave and supportive, and although you’re in shock, you convince yourself that you were ready for something new. Then you start waking up at 3 A.M., apparently in order to stare at the ceiling. You can’t stop picturing the face of the employee who was deputized to give you the bad news. He does not look like George Clooney. You have fantasies of terrible things happening to him, to your boss, to George Clooney. You find—a novel recognition—not only that you have no sex drive but that you don’t care. You react irritably when friends advise you to let go and move on. After a week, you have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. After two weeks, you have a hard time getting out of the house. You go see a doctor. The doctor hears your story and prescribes an antidepressant. Do you take it?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

NO, never.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I knew a CPA who lost a fortune in his retirement account 10 years ago, gambling in the stock market. Bankruptcy followed. I think Prozac has helped in his recovery.

I'd probably try it.

Sounds somewhat familiar... No, I would not take it - I have had very bad experiences with antidepressants in the past.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I would probably try to avoid it as much as possible. I'd definitely not allow them to be prescribed to my children.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I've know a few people who were placed on various 'feel good' pills and it really changed them for the better. Their lives are in much better balance as a result. I'm not saying a 'feel good' pill is the cure-all, but I've seen positive results.

I've had (and have) clients who have utilized SSRIs and they have been very helpful. Others have reported that they are useless and a smaller percentage saw them as harmful - e.g. they had high levels of anxiety and some became suicidal. They are worth investigating for serious depression, but should be closely monitored. Personally I'm not a big fan of them especially for younger people.

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

NO WAY!!!! The situation may very well call for counselling, but there are too many side effects and other problems with the chemical approach. This is only my opinion.

I wish anyone in such a situation the very best of luck and all my prayers.

well, if the options are "pills" or "prayer".... not sure i'd want to go on living.

seriously, anti-depressants are best used sparingly. which, sadly, is not the way they are prescribed today.

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

The most interesting part of the article is the meta studies which appear to show that antidepressant pills don't work at all apart from the placebo effect.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yeah I found that kind of odd honestly...when I was on anti-anxiety meds (SSRIs) it definitely changed me and I had rather severe withdrawal effects.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_zaps#.22Brain_zaps.22_and_sensations (see brain zaps...basically like mini-siezures...not good behind the wheel!)

One pill listed increased appetite and the other had weight gain as a side effect 80lbs later I realized they were doing much more harm than good. Not to mention though it did cure my anxiety and panic attacks it just made me depressed and my sex drive go through the roof. Weird stuff

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

The reference to the study which induced nausea and then attempted to cure it with a placebo which was 100 percent effective after switching from one placebo cure to another is most odd.

In your instance, could it have been real side effects and placebo mental effects?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Anti-depressants can help some people with chronic, disabling depression and/or anxiety, but they're not without side effects. Most people who should be on them really need them - i.e. have been clinically depressed, really affecting their daily lives, for years. Not sure if I would take it if I were situationally unhappy - sometimes life just sucks, and it's healthy and character building to work through it and move on.

I think Pastor Joe hit it on the head.
Counseling may help, not necessarily to make you feel better, but to help you figure out what to do.
Ironically, I taught the layoff course at Chrysler and was a victim of my own Director following the steps carefully. In looking back at who and when it was done, it was , I feel, a favoritism thing to eliminate certain people who were looking too closely at the books. It took me a while to get over it, and I could have gotten over it sooner, if the guys who ended up helping me had just come over to see me sooner and give me the info and ideas which set me on the course I am, eleven years later.

Sometimes, you need outside people to provide a broader perspective.
I needed that, at the time, more than a feel good pill.

I have friends and the wife told me before the husband died that she had been on an antidepressant for seven years and hubby, before he died, asked her to abstain for a while. She told me it was the best advice he ever gave her. She became so much more cognizant of her surroundings, whereas previously she was so mellowed out, she felt she had lost the previous seven years!

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Better living through chemistry. Get up on your hind legs and do something.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting