Answer:
Yes I believe that anti-depressants work, providing that you are on the right kind and/or combination. Also, addressing life's problems through therapy and/or education - skills building. There are different kinds of depression. Some respond well to talk therapy, some require therapy and medication. On occassion, only medication is needed.
One of the things about depression is that things may be going okay or well for a person, but they start experiancing depression for no apparent reason. Depression is a bio-chemical embalence.
I worked over 20 years as a social worker in various clinical positions. I have seen the positive effects that being on an anti-depressant can provide. There have been clients that don't respond well with talk therapy but start doing remarkably better after getting on an anti-depressant.
There is the issue of whether the type of anti-depressant is appropriate and that is where a very knowledgeable doctor is needed. Take for example an individual who is or has had some manic episodes - Bi-polar or a history of less significant manic episodes - Bi-polar II, taking certain medications can cause a person to have a manic episode, or cause them to go through rapid cycling.
On a personal note, I have been on anti-depressants and off of them. I know that I am definately more miserable (and harder to live with - just ask my family) when I am not on them or when the medication is not appropriate. In fact, I have just been going through such a time when my doctor took me off of all my anti-depressants (when hospitialized) and just kept me on a mood stabilizer. That was a year ago, and I can barely remember a time when I was this miserable. Slowly, the medications that my doctor took me off of have slowly been reintroduced. The only thing changed was my mood stabilizer. I went from Depakote to Lamictal, but that has had to be done very slowly given the potential side effects. It has only been in the last month that I have started feeling better.
In the past year since I was taken off of the medications that I was on, I have developed a serious chronic pain condition, and battle colitus weekly. As I get to feeling better, those conditions improve. I also have acid reflux and at times feel as though I am having a heart attack. All of the conditions I list are made worse by stress, and when depressed, I can not deal with stress very well.
In the past 12 years or so, I have been in weekly psychotherapy. That in it self has not been enough to get rid of my depression. Anti-depressant medication does not take care of the issues for which I struggle, but they do help take the edge off of my pain so that I can work on the issues more intensely. In addition, I have more energy, can remember things better, suicidal thinking decreases, the support and challenges from my therapist are more easily heard.
Yes people who take anti-depressants may still show the clinical signs of depression. There is a diagnosis that reads something like "Major Depression in Partial Remission." But overal, I think that if the medication is doing it's job, those signs of depression are decreased.
I hope that this helpful. Take care.
Anti-depressant drugs are no more effective than talk therapy (by itself) or exercise (by itself). Some scientists even believe they are mostly placebo.
Most people who go on them don't ever find a drug combo that truly cures their depression. Some do. Some find it helps a little. Some finds it doesn't help at all.
Really, with all the side-effects, unless you're suicidal or have tried everything else, I think you're better off trying other things first.
Some medications work for some people. I have depression and anxiety and without my medication I would be in very bad shape, with my meds I still am depressed but I can function.
I don't believe it really work. All it do is just subdue you. I'd work with people who were called clinically depress. What they need is actually love, support and caring surrounding.
Yes they do help you a majority of the time, but then i s'pose it depends on how severe the depression is??
I had it for a few years, and was on those lovely happy pills (prozac)...and it helped alot!
I have now been taken off them by the doctor (2 yrs now), and i feel ok- still get the odd bad day - but not as often as it used to be!!?!
gee depression sure is hard on people i used to be depressed but i never took medicine because taking medicine made me depressed so try hooking up with friends and going through more things like partys thats got me out of depression and always kept me positive and singing at the top of my lungs all day long well not really but i was glowing after i got over my depression if you know what i mean so basicle just do more fun things like amusement parks,hanging out with people or just your faveorite hobby (mine is airsoft)