.....anyone on it?
My shrink just put me on Paxil and I'm kind of nervous. I need an antidepressant right now, (my depression and anxiety are out of control) but I'm not one for taking meds. I haven't been on antidepressants in 5 years, and I'm scared-I don't want to be dependent on anything.

Hey Clot I've been on and off it for almost 9 years to help with post truamatic stress dissorder. When I first started it was like being on some real smooth speed I had a million ideas a day, some of that is personality Im sure but I felt it was excelled by the paxil. after a few weeks it calmed me down and the anxiety and highs and lows stoped made me a little sleepy from time to time but notthing to worry about. they say it can cause sexual side effects such as an increace in libido and they aint kiddin now i go on it when ireally need it and my Doc says I dont have a habbit I just need it to get over a rough patch here and there I'll get a scrip for like 5 days and couple it with some theraputic tools i learned. Funny you post this I made mention of paxil in my recent post in this forum called "How to pass the time without losing my mind" hope this helps

ha... addicts

That makes me feel a bit better Dirge.
*sighs*
Lets see if it does me any good...............the paxil I mean.

BTW, I like your sig Dirge. He, he. How true.

yeah found out the hard way over the years

Yeah-me too. When I was a kid, I didn't understand pessimism. Now I live by it-for better or for worse.

but why? why pessimism? why antidepressants? there is choice and how you choose to view life matters. i know it sounds like i'm one of those blissfully happy idoit who believe in hope and love. no, i had to fight to regain hope and a possitive attitude. lately that's gotten a bit screwed, but i held onto it for years. and if i can, i believe most can. not that there is anything wrong with antidepressants, i just have to believe people have the strength in them if they just look. no, it's never that easy, but it's a step... but then dirge illustrate a good example of when a little help is needed and justified. hmm....

sometimes i get into discussions with a friend of mine who's been on 3 different antidepressants, including paxil. his libido went way down. i tried to convince him of the choices you really have in life. no one ever seems to want to hear they have a choice and the means to do and feel any way they want. i'm stuggling with this whole concept at the moment for personal reasons.

if people cling to their mysery for something to hold onto, then maybe the source of hope is running dry. i fear for the world then.

coffee, late night, early morning work, blah blah. i'm rambling.

clot, why are you depressed lately?

oops, never mind. found your journal, i'l go read.

WOW umm yeah ithink Im kinda missunderstood. I am not a pessimist but a realist. I have hopes and dreams that I hope with all my heart come to fruitition. Imean Im stating a business and have found the girl of my dreams, I am not with her but I HOPE that I can. However being older I have seen how the world operates and so I always have a back up plan. Also being a veteran of active military service gives you a certain bend on things. I mean how many people in their safe north american(or european) worlds have ever seen(or smelled) a dead body or had a shot fired in anger at them.Or had to return the favour much less even held a firearm. Thanks for the head check Thanos! I am a generally happy go lucky person ( im an Aqurarius) btu I get highs and lows like evryone but mine are exagerated by the events of my tour in Yugoslavia. I try not to be to dark and gloomy because as a realist I know thats how the world works and I've seen the very worst in (in) humanity. So yeah maybe I'll change my signature....

dirge, you do seem pretty positive and open, coolness. you seem to be in a pretty good place. wish you the best of luck with the girl and business. =)

i try to live by "hope for the best, prepare for the worst." not that i always maintain that lofty idea, but one can but try. lol. you can always just add to your sig and leave that. that way, part of it will fit your mood either way. hehehe. no one's happy all the time. if so, THEY need medication.

Thanks Thanos I appreciate your good vibes. I guess I was trying to say that I to live by the hope for the best prepare for the worst philosify. SORRY CLOT for taking up space on your post!

My best friend had kind of a bad initial experience with Paxil, i.e. he was dead tired all the time. I've been on anti-depressants for 11 years, and I think fatigue has been a pretty normal side-effect. Blah... don't worry about dependency issues; they aren't habit-forming.

Most modern doctors are in kahoots with Hoffman /Laroche (drug commpany) do yourself a favor and dont take the drugs, just get a hobby and exercise a lot, youll be just fine.

Who knows what the answer is. I've tried going w/o meds for 6 years................................I'm bottoming out. I'm taking the paxil-we'll see. See what? I don't know.

i take Celexa. it also causes fatigue and i got a photosensitivity reaction as well, ugh!

If I get bad side effects, I'll stop the meds, but I gotta try. I'm running out of options. Meds are a last resort for me-I've tried everything.

I d have to agree with Billy the Kid on the point of getting excersise and a hobby. I got into Yoga and seems to help, as well as having at least one very heavy day at the gym. nothing can take your mind off your problems like squating 500lb!! but these are just some of the theraputic tools i've learned and use in conjunction with my meds when I need them. Yes Paxil can make you tired but if your getting regular excersise it wont be to much of a problem. And you dont have to join a gym or anything special just get the heart rate up for 15-20 min/day. Hope that helps

My doctor got me to take zoloft for a short while, but I quit it, and I got over depression myself.

Exercise is the key. Last time I visited the doctor, he told me that a lot of doctors think that most cases of depression can be cured with lots of exercise and a good diet, without using any drugs.

I found this to be very, very true. Not that every case is curable that way. Just that mine was. There may be cases more serious that require drugs.

I also have bad anxiety, which I've semi-conquered. I've noticed that my anxiety and depression gets very bad when I'm inactive. But I feel absolutely awesome when I get exercise.

For example, I had to miss the gym for three months due to illness, and only got back into it a week ago. Up until a week ago, I was the most depressed I'd ever been in my life. My anxiety was the worst I'd ever had. I almost fainted when I tried to go to the gym a few weeks ago, due to my anxiety. And I almost fainted just walking up the street too! But then on last saturday I had someone come with me to ease my nerves. During the first few exercises I didn't feel good, but then I started to feel better, and get back to my old, good ways. Since then, I haven't had a problem at all. And right now, I feel the best I have ever felt in my life.