Is this a part of depression?

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Ive been depressed the last 4 months and got on celexa and abilify about 5 or 6 weeks ago. The meds are working, i dont feel depressed any more but I feel like i dont care about anything or have any interest in anything anymore. does this still mean i am depressed? i hate it, im so restless and dont want to do anything. I cant find work if im like this....

could be the medication. i find when i take my celexa i don't feel depressed anymore but i don't feel that much enjoyment in things either. it's like it takes out both the highs and the lows. or you may still be depressed just to a lesser extent. my counsellor told me i had to re-learn what i would like because i quit doing so many things over time. maybe trying something new would help.

sorry to hear that.. hope you'd feel better soon but yeah it could be the meds. or you could just also be tired of feeling. i've been depressed too for a while now and i kinda feel that way too. i think if its a part of depression, its the part where you are getting over it. try to relax then try to find things to do that would interest you or make you feel better. those interest will all come back to you, it will all eventually clear out soon..

Yeah, I feel nothing the majority of the time. I blame 17 years of meds, at one point 7 pills in the morning and 7 at night. I think that would qualify as child abuse in a sane society.

While it can definitely be a part of depression, it may also be the medication. SSRI antidepressants are notorious for causing flat emotions. I would tell your doctor what you're feeling. Maybe lowering the dosage will help.

Probably the medication. I've been on Prozac for about 5 years now. At first, I felt indifferent to everything and couldn't concentrate on anything for very long. This feeling has worn off somewhat, but it still bothers me a bit. I suppose it's better than feeling down all the time, though...

I would suspect you just need to apply some intellect -- What *should* you be doing? -- over how you might happen to feel. Feelings should not be ignored, of course, but neither should they direct our lives ... and at the moment, you might just still be feeling the effects of previous frustrations.

We cannot feel our ways into better living, but we can live our ways into better feelings.

I was on Zoloft for anxiety. It made me feel the same way. I couldn't stay on it because of the restlessness.

arg so the only way to get rid of this restlessness is to quit? doesnt it go away on its own?

this isn't what happened to me on ssri's, but this seems to be a common effect from medication. You probably need to have a discussion with your psychiatrist about adjusting your medication.

Protip; use your reprieve from crushing depression to research, create, and implement depression beating strategies that don't involve the use of SSRI drugs and the like, then come off them.

Depression is something that when naturally reacted to makes us seek to create change in life to alleviate that depression. Unfortunately, this natural mechanism doesn't seem to be heeded in our culture, or people have no clue about what could possibly help, or feel there is nothing, and so don't bother seeking. Taking an anti depressant often takes away much of the negative feelings, but also removes that urge to make changes.

Treating depression with anti-depressants is an avoidance strategy. If you can tolerate what the drugs take from you, then you can put healing depression on the back burner forever. For true healing of depression to occur, something needs to be confronted and dealt with.

I recommend a multi pronged general approach that can truly heal (or help to heal) depression.

1. Regular exercise
2. A good quality, whole foods diet
3. Meditation
4. Relaxation techniques
5. Meaningful activities and relationships

I don't know this person's situation so I am generalizing but sometimes all 5 of those things can't be done at once. I strongly disagree that "Treating depression with anti-depressants is an avoidance strategy" I would argue that it is a coping mechanism. I also strongly disagree with "For true healing of depression to occur, something needs to be confronted and dealt with". Depression can be fixed with medication. It sounds as if you are opposed to biopsychiatry.

I agree. Sometimes it's a chemical imbalance that causes depression and not a situation or an event. I had a wonderful upbringing and yet I still got depressed when I hit my teen years. There is nothing to confront - it's all coming from within my brain.

I know that some people may have a chemical imbalance problem for whatever reason (as Amaris points out), and they will need medication, until we can figure out why some people seem to be born depressive or simply turn depressive for seemingly no reason. If there's no option, then there's no option, but I would explore my options very thoroughly.

I would agree that coping mechanism is a valid term to describe anti depressant use. Removing what has to be coped with would be my ultimate ideal solution, though of course, here in reality, not always an option. Where it is possible though, I would encourage it.

I see it the same way that I would rather have someone treat a bone fracture, rather than take painkillers for the rest of their lives.

My simplistic model of problem solving has two poles; avoidance and confrontation. Flight or Fight. Like I said, if you can avoid the problems associated with drug use, then you can choose to avoid taking a confrontational strategy. Or if you have no choice...

I believe that most people can do a lot to have happier and more satisfying experiences of life with techniques and strategies that are natural and have no side effects, except perhaps becoming fitter, smarter and wiser.

I think for most people, psychotherapeutic drugs have a valid use as providing temporary reprieve from severe depression, in order to give one some space and energy to tackle some of the root causes.

For most people, as a long term strategy, I think simple application of SSRI drugs is a bad idea. They don't uproot the causes of depression, and they have a vast range of greater and lesser side effects.

I did not claim that one can instantly achieve all 5 of the things I highlighted at once. Becoming naturally depression proof is a project that can take many many years, and then becomes something we must maintain.

This is not a personal attack on anyone who chooses to use anti depressants.

I agree with you, mostly. Just taking anti-depressants alone doesn't fix everything, but it allows your brain to work so you can work through whatever problems may be happening at the time. I've noticed usually when a severe depression occurs there is some major stress or trauma happening at that time. I am sorry I did not mean to personally attack you.

That's okay jackbus, I didn't feel attacked. I just put that last line in just in case I am aware that this can be a subject that causes sensitivity.