Stimulants for depression...

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For the depressed people like me who feel dead or like they are going to die in any way or go to hell or anything like that, are stimulants a good idea? I think they would work wonders for me, I really think so, but would they have a negative (depressive) effect in the long run?

Last edited by Ana54 on 17 Oct 2007, 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Er, back in the day I used to snort ritalin.. Even further back I used to take it legally and it gave me ticks

I don't care what it makes me do or look like; this is almost life-and-death here. If I have to tick, I'll tick!

I never got depression when I grew up with AS. I came close quite a few times, but I don't have depression. My family would never let me get too depressed to the point where I got depression.

Caffeine seems to help a little with depression, at least mine, because the main hindrance from it is complete lack of motivation and an energy kick will get me going. Depression in my view is a psychologically rooted condition however and the neurochemical imbalances are a result, not a cause. The number one solution I've found is to look at life differently.

Ok, Ana, I have a pretty extensive experience of drugs and drug culture.

Be very very careful, because stimulants can give a lift means their use can become shall we say compelling.
tread carefully, have you tried more subtle methods, personally I find that hot strong tea, some ghanja and my anti depressants are working well enough, and the very thought of an E or Speed comedown gives me the s**ts...

peace and take care j

For what it's worth I would try listening to happy uptempo music

In all honesty, the best and most effective thing I've ever used to bitchslap depression away has been Vicodin or other opiate painkillers. I did this for a few years, illegally, when I had access to them. No troublesome side effects, I felt better but was still able to funciton and get things done, I slept better, was better with people, was more productive, lived a nearly normal life, or as close as one like me might come to such a thing... Unfortunately, opiate painkillers are not sanctioned for legal use of depression. Which is ironic, because in many ways depressoin is a type of pain from life...

For nearly a week now I've been getting by on nothing - nothing - other than coffee and alcohol. So far its been working OK. I wouldn't recommend that for humans though; I'm something different.

Some use Adderrall to help with depression. I smoke pot to help with my depression and take lexashit (lexapro) and adderrall so I can function better.

Have a listen to Everybody Hurts by R.E.M ....

Hey Ana, I have also saved myself from suicide by taking vicoden. This helped for a couple of years until I got addicted and began taking way too much. To deal with the opiate addiction, I began a drug called 'Suboxone'. It targets only one select type of opiate receptor and prevents opiate withdrawal. It also has the very desirable effect of lifting me out of depressions. Unfortunately, a physician in the US has to have a special license from the gov. in order to prescribe it. Don't know the rules in Canada, though.
Martyboi

Everyone is different, I can only tell you what works for me, a long-time depressive. I found ritalin to be legal, safe and effective motivation/stimulation: it makes me feel like getting up in the morning, going to work, working, solving problems, and doing things in general. Used responsibly (don't overdo it, you'll stress your heart and run out too soon) it's a modern medical miracle for depressives or those with slow metabolism. [So of course there are people who want to ban it.] The only side effects for me are slight nervousness and more urination during the second hour.

As for the long term, I've been using it for 15 years, and don't think I'm any more depressed than before.

Unfortunately, it can be tricky to get a prescription for this class of drugs: too many people have abused stimulants. I was diagnosed ADD, so that's what mine is prescribed for.
Technically, ritalin (methylphenidate) is only pseudo-speed; there is a better pharmaceutical, but i doubt i can get a prescription.

The other side of the depressive equation, antidepressants, are another whole discussion - I've tried several over the years, and they're getting better at targeting the individual neurotransmitters. I'm just glad I can take ritalin along with them.

Me too! I'm so mad at my the psychiatrist for being suspicious of me, as if I was jsut tryign to get drugs! Let's see what he thinks when he hears one of his patients-- the one he refused to give the stimulants to-- was just brought into the morgue!

Ironically, that might only make him relieved that he didn't... someone might have thought that contributed or something...

They're told to be suspicious by law enforcement, etc, and might even be prosecuted for giving "bad" drugs irresponsibly...

Oh, and RedHanrahan, I meant stimulants like Ritalin and that, not the hard illegal stuff.

That's funny you say that. I had my wisdom teeth removed during a time of my life when I was depressed. I noticed that when I took Vicodin for a couple days I actually felt normal for the first time in what seemed like ages. I didn't make me feel drugged or sedated or anything, just normal. That seemed to suggest there really was some kind of imbalance causing my depression.

I think the biggest risk with opiates is that the body will adapt to the presence of the drug so that after a long term use you may be no better than before you started. Exercise has the same net effect as opiates but the results are due to natural body functions rather than the introduction of a foreign substance. Thus there is less risk of becoming tolerant to the effects.

The main frustration I have is that I don't get the endorphins with short intense exercise (less than 30 minutes). Going for a quick jog just makes me more tired and irritable afterwards. It generally takes several hours of moderate activity before I notice any mood improvement. It's kind of hard to find time for that if you're work is sedentary.