# Do SSRIs Actually Work for Anyone?



## Schmoe (Feb 4, 2010)

I've tried about 6 different SSRIs and none of them provided satisfactory results. In fact, every one of them except Paxil actually made the anxiety WORSE. And of course all of the SSRIs came along with the same teeth grinding, yawning, and slight sexual side effects. That's the thing, even if SSRIs work for you, then you can expect to never be comfortable again.

Paxil might have eased the anxiety slightly, but by such a small degree that its really hard to tell if it really helped, or if I just imagined that it helped because I had gotten used to the increased anxiety from the other SSRIs.

Someone else originally posted the link to this article:
Apparently SSRIs don't even work for DEPRESSION!
http://www.newsweek.com/id/232781/page/1

So is there anyone here who is actually getting positive results from an SSRI?


----------



## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

When i started reading anecdotal reports of SSRI's i knew something was wrong.. This meta analysis confirmed that SSRI's arent better then placedo in most cases.
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045


----------



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Yeah, SSRIs works for some. The problem is that they often have side effects -- anorgasmia & low libido leading the list -- or they are only partially effective.

Long ago I knew a woman who took 100 mg of Zoloft daily for her OCD. I'm very familiar with OCD as I and others in my family are textbook examples of it. The Zoloft apparently worked for her as I never saw her do anything that that looked like OCD to me. I also know that it definitely did not prevent orgasm for her. She did indicate that it caused a mental numbing effect though; for example, she was unable to cry while on Zoloft.

My brother has been on SSRIs for his OCD for the last decade. He's not at all happy with the sexual side effects and has reduced his Lexapro dose down to a tiny 5 mg. He'd like to stop it entirely, but feels forced to continue as the anxiety gets too bad when he stops. This is way down from the 20 mg he used to take. Based on his long-term continued compulsive behavior (mainly hoarding), I'd have to say that SSRIs have clearly failed to be fully effective in his case.

I've personally found SSRIs to be worse than useless. I'd rather take a sugar pill -- at least sugar pills lack side effects.


----------



## RealitySandwiches (Jan 21, 2010)

The first SSRI my doctor prescribed for me was Paxil. I didn't last on that one very long. All I wanted to do was sleep and I had absolutely no desire or motivation to do anything. I was then prescribed Effexor as a second option. I was on Effexor for around four years or so and about a year and a half ago I decided to quit them. Looking back, I would have to say they weren't worth my time and I prefer being off them to being on them. All they really did was make me numb to everything around me, I didn't feel any lows, so I guess they did their job in that sense, but I also didn't feel any highs. Not worth it in my opinion. I agree with the teeth grinding, that was definitely not a plus.

Other than that my experience with SSRI's has been pretty limited, seeing as I've only ever been on two different kinds in my life. It's become pretty clear to me that these types of meds aren't for me though and I've pretty much given up on western medicine.


----------



## Ehsan (Mar 21, 2009)

Schmoe said:


> I've tried about 6 different SSRIs and none of them provided satisfactory results. In fact, every one of them except Paxil actually made the anxiety WORSE. And of course all of the SSRIs came along with the same teeth grinding, yawning, and slight sexual side effects. That's the thing, even if SSRIs work for you, then you can expect to never be comfortable again.
> 
> Paxil might have eased the anxiety slightly, but by such a small degree that its really hard to tell if it really helped, or if I just imagined that it helped because I had gotten used to the increased anxiety from the other SSRIs.
> 
> ...


_What do you want SSRIs for_? SAD?


----------



## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

I refuse to take ssris one worked for my depression (Prozac) but never did a thing for my anxiety plus they have all those side effects so i take Wellbutrin instead, it works for my depression but not my anxiety but maybe give it a try? All the other ssris i took did absolutely nothing but give me side effects.


----------



## Schmoe (Feb 4, 2010)

Ehsan said:


> _What do you want SSRIs for_? SAD?


Yeah, mostly SAD. I have depression too, but I think that is the RESULT of my anxiety.

In the beginning, I only had SAD, but otherwise I felt pretty good. Over the years though, I think the SAD and the lack of ability to "get a life" because of it has caused the depression that I am now experiencing.


----------



## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

SSRIs are pretty s***. On their own they aren't very effective and can cause bad zombification. But they can be okay when combined with mirtazapine, bupropion (and other psychostimulants) or dopamine agonists (pramipexole, aripiprazole, ropinirole). Maybe buspirone could augment the effects also. For me they worked somewhat for depression but very little for anxiety. Currently I can not even achieve the depression relief effect; sertraline is only causing yawning.


----------



## Ehsan (Mar 21, 2009)

Schmoe said:


> Yeah, mostly SAD. I have depression too, but I think that is the RESULT of my anxiety.
> In the beginning, I only had SAD, but otherwise I felt pretty good. Over the years though, I think the SAD and the lack of ability to "get a life" because of it has caused the depression that I am now experiencing.


i've around 20 papers that have studied SSRIs in SAD and found them superior to Placebo. though, in my experience i didn't find many of them much effective (i've tried zoloft, prozac and celexa).
however zoloft(100mg)+Celexa(20mg) worked to some extent.

SSRIs are designed to affect Serotonin subsystem solely while many other subsystems may be involved in SAD.
many people respond to SSRIs but some other are treatment-resistent and need many other meds to try and combine.

things to keep in mind when using SSRIs
1- high dose
2- enough time
3- combination with other SSRIs: 
Zoloft(100mg)+Celexa(20mg) worked for me but not zoloft alone!


----------



## Ehsan (Mar 21, 2009)

Guide 4 Dummies said:


> My LSAS is over 130


:um:um:um:um

LSAS is a good criteria, i think.
however many peoples don't know what a severe SAD could mean.
i found following post around the net(socialphobiaworld.com) past year. i think it's a good criteria:



> My life's pretty ****ed. Everyone thinks I'm a lazy bum, but I can;t bring myself to go to a job interview or to ring people about a job. I'm stuck living on £30.00 a week income support and leaving the house once a week to do shopping and buy electric. I have the council tax chasing me because I didn't give them my details when I turned 18, I've got rent arrears that I shouldn't have because I can't talk to the office about it, I'm at risk of losing my home because I've stopped going to appointments with my keyworker, and I'm at risk of losing my income support and being told to pay back 6 months worth because I should have gone onto jobseeker's allowance as soon as I left college.
> 
> My ideal life right now would be to stay indoors all the time, except for when I go and visit my sister. I'd like to work from home, get my shopping delivered to my house, pay my bills by direct debit and have the TV license men **** off and leave me alone. Oh well


----------



## megocode3 (Dec 23, 2009)

Zoloft has worked well for me. No, it's not a cure for SA but it takes the edge off just enough for me to be able to work through the challenges of SA. I don't believe pills are the solution to our problem, just a tool to help fight it. SSRIs don't work for everyone but if you're not willing to challenge yourself socially everday, nothing will. Hardwork is the only cure.


----------



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Ehsan said:


> i've around 20 papers that have studied SSRIs in SAD and found them superior to Placebo.


And I bet all those studies were "double blind," which is pure fiction. Given the side effects of SSRIs, it's impossible to do a study that's truly blind. If a week after starting taking a mystery pill you find that you cannot orgasm, yet you could before this, that kills any mystery about that pill. You will know it's the real thing and then the placebo effect will bias the study. Double blind is a great way to do studies, but it's simply impossible to have any blindness and avoid bias when side effects are blatantly obvious.


----------



## NicoShy (Jun 11, 2009)

No. They are sugar pills.


----------



## insight girl (Jan 15, 2006)

Lexapro was wonderful for me. Took away almost all of my anxiety and depression... side effects were really crappy, unfortunately.


----------



## UncertainMuffin (Sep 24, 2008)

I've been on most (if not all) SSRI's and found the only one to work for me was Prozac, which worked really well on my depression, but did nothing for my anxiety. I was an idiot to come off of it! I know that with my depression better, overcoming the anxiety wouldn't be as much of a nightmare.

I'll never understand the people who won't at least _try _them when expenses are not an issue. What have you got to lose? A few days of feeling bad side effects while getting used to the drug (worst case scenario, most likely) for the chance of drastic help with how you view life is worth it in my mind.


----------



## GnR (Sep 25, 2009)

I've been on Cipralex for about 4 months. It's crap. I'm only on 10mgs and I'm a complete zombie. I would rather deal with gut wrenching anxiety than feel this numb. I just dropped it down to 5mgs today and I'm gonna go off in a couple weeks, gonna give wellbutrin a try.


----------



## Ehsan (Mar 21, 2009)

Guide 4 Dummies said:


> I can't answer the phone, make simple phone calls (i.e. to grocery), nor answer the door _let alone_ actually getting out of the house.
> I can go out of the house only when I take a high dose benzo+beta blocker. Now that I'm withdrawing Xanax, I have to depend solely on beta blockers until I'm over the withdrawal then I'll get on Parnate and just PRAY that it works.
> I'm not independent. My parents take care of me until I graduate.


mine wasn't as severe as yours. several years ago my LSAS score was something about 105. it really destroyed my life until 25 coz i used to pass up almost every good oportunity in my life.
i didn't want to meet any pdoc because of SAD itself. then i found klonopin accidentally when i was completely disappointed about my life. it worked as a miracle drug during first days. i also tried xanax which wasn't as effective. i eventually went to meet a pdoc and he put me on celexa, prozac, inderal and klonopin. 
i gave up him coz i didn't like his approach and coz it was very unpleasant for me to meet any pdoc(coz of SAD itself). i started self-medication(not recommended) and after several years now i'm around 65 in LSAS.

luckily you are only 20 and i think you will highly improve after several years of medication.


----------



## sara01 (Feb 4, 2010)

I've tried so many. I'm not actually sure if they work, but I am willing to try to see if they make a difference. I'm taking 50 mg of zoloft right now. Hmm...I know I've lost a bunch of weight from it, but I go back and forth on if it is actually helping or not. I mean, it's hard to tell if I'm actually experiencing side effects or if they are in my head. It's also hard to tell if I'm actually experiencing benefits or if that's all in my head. Not sure!


----------



## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

SSRI's give me panic attacks and make my insomnia worse if that's possible. All drugs that increase serotonin make things worse.


----------



## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

I was on prozac for about 8 months. For me it made my SA slightly less noticable but it seemed to dull all my other emotions as well, I'd get really happy sometimes for no particular reason and also I got drunk way way too quickly, It didn't feel natural so I stopped. I think working things out on your own is way more beneficial for my SA than masking the problem with drugs, and the more I took them, the more I started thinking that I was sick, and I wasn't really. Just maladjusted to the social world.


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

zoloft worked well for my depression nothing else.


----------



## wendykiss897 (Jan 28, 2010)

Celexa works well for me and i don't notice any side effects. 
I used to take lexapro which made me sick to my stomach and sleepy
so I would take it at bedtime and get a good night's rest. I don't get sick 
or sleepy with celexa so now I take it in the morning.


----------



## laura024 (Aug 11, 2006)

Celexa for me was a constant roller coaster of euphoria and depression. My doctor decided not to give me any more SSRIs after that.


----------

