Antidepressants

To make a long story short, I'll need to take antidepressants again. (I've been in psychotherapy for 9 months now, I've tried alternatives. I wish I didn't have to take them, but I'm afraid I have no other choice. At least for a short amount of time.)

Now, the problem is: I know that there's animal testing for medication, and that the pills themselves will probably not be vegan either.

OK, some of you might want to leave a comment at this point saying, that health is more important than being 100% vegan (which is impossible anyway, imo).

Well I think so too, and it's easy to say so, but I feel bad about it, and that's definitely not going to help me.

So what are your thoughts on this?

I don't mean to start a discussion here about antidepressants are good or bad, or even work or do not work. What I want to know is:

How do you handle situations like this, when you need to do something, but there's no vegan option? What thoughts are helping you?

If I had to take a medication that wasn't vegan (and I'm pretty sure you would have a tough time finding one that did not undergo animal testing), I would take it.

If I had to take a medication that wasn't vegan (and I'm pretty sure you would have a tough time finding one that did not undergo animal testing), I would take it.

+1

You can always take a utilitarian outlook on it, saying that the benefit you will get from the medication outweighs the suffering that was induced by the drug research...

Absolutely, you should take the medication. Also, I'm sorry to hear that you're battling depression. Good luck on the road ahead!

Agreed, if the medication is likely the best way to turn things around sooner, take it. By NOT taking it, you're not bringing back any animal that was sacrificed in testing, so while it's a bit of a personal stand by wanting to avoid such a product, it isn't actually making positive change by refusing it or undoing any damage done in the past by the companies who created it. Sure, there are always the uber-"ethical" people who will chant "I'd rather die than take a medication that's been tested on animals!", but strangely enough, I don't believe a single one of them has had to actually make such a decision. It's always easy for others to stand on the outside and judge, but when the chips are down, most of them would do the same thing the rest of us would regardless of the big talk they'll put out there any other time.

As someone who has battled depression for over 20 years, I don't particularly like the times I've felt the need to go back on anti-depressants, but I had to come to grips with the fact that I wasn't doing myself any favors by extending my own misery through avoiding drugs. Not to mention that now my vision-saving drugs are unquestionably animal tested as well, sometimes there's just no avoiding it in order to ensure you're in the best place possible for your own well-being.

I'm sorry to hear about your depression - definitely take something that has promise to make things better for you sooner than by not taking anything, don't worry too much about changing things that can't be changed or undone regarding the medications themselves, and consider how much more you can do for the purpose of "good" once you feel much better in due time.

I don't consider not taking them. I did so before, but I now see that I don't have another chance right now.

I've battled depression for 10 years. At one time I took antidepressants before, but haven't been vegan back then.

Thanks for all your comments! I really appreciate them, and they're very helpful!

VeganEssentials: "and consider how much more you can do for the purpose of "good" once you feel much better in due time", you're right! I didn't really think of that before. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and good luck to you as well, with both your eyes and depression!!

Veganism isn't about personal purity. If you are trying your best not to contribute to animal exploitation you are 100% vegan. Most of society follows the belief that animals are property and because of that, we sometimes have to do things we don't agree with in order to get by.

It isn't ethical for someone to force themselves to stay sick, it's stupid. Medication is one of the things we sometimes have to make concessions on because right now there isn't another option. When enough people acknowledge that animal testing is not only wrong but ineffective, we will have a better choice. But, till then we have to try our best.

If anyone wants to stand firm on their beliefs no matter the consequences, they are free to join the dead natural hygiene and live food people from the 50's, 60's and 70's that refused to take supplements, but I'd prefer that they not be called vegan.

All you need to do is start tanning at a salon and also get vitamin therapy, particularly niacin.

Well yes, if you suffer from either seasonal depression or a depression caused by vitamin deficiency. (or a seasonal depression caused by vitamin deficiency)

I don't have that kind though, so as easy as that would be, I'm afraid it's not the solution.

Well I'm more OK with taking anti-depressants now. My therapist said it will be only temporary, to help me become more stable again. So I won't be taking them for several years, it's just a little help to get past a few things.

All you need to do is start tanning at a salon and also get vitamin therapy, particularly niacin.

That sounds like something a scientologist would say. Brain chemistry is complex.

You said you did not ask about our opinion on antidepressants but I have to say it - stay out of them!

Pills like this cannot help you. If you have no motivation in your life, change your life. Else you are a robot!

If you have neural problems, work out, it helps. If you are feeling bad, time will heal it, nothing else.

I've never taken such pills but I have tried all of the above mentioned solutions. They work!

All the best of luck to you

You said you did not ask about our opinion on antidepressants but I have to say it - stay out of them!

Pills like this cannot help you. If you have no motivation in your life, change your life. Else you are a robot!

If you have neural problems, work out, it helps. If you are feeling bad, time will heal it, nothing else.

I've never taken such pills but I have tried all of the above mentioned solutions. They work!

All the best of luck to you

I agree.

Please, take a look. I got this video on email from my friend today, and now I think maybe I can share it with you

Time doesn't heal unless it does. Give it too much time without proper treatment you could literally lose your mind.

Exactly. Not everyone's depression is purely situational, and not all should try and treat themselves in such a way as it may exacerbate things. Having rock-bottom serotonin levels that lead to suicidal thoughts is VERY different from something like "I'm depressed because I just broke up with my long-term girlfriend" or something of that sort. Trying to skirt around medicinal treatment when things are severe is playing with your health, and shouldn't be treated lightly.

To get rather candid here....

About 14 years ago, I found myself to the point where I was sitting in my room with a loaded pistol in front of me, wondering what was the final straw keeping me from self-termination. I couldn't find a reason to keep going, there wasn't any particular reason that I felt like giving up, that's just the way my mind was working at the time and I couldn't pull out of it. Despite not wanting to go back on medication, I knew that after trying to "fix" things myself without success, it was the best option I had. A few weeks later of being back on anti-depressants, I found myself feeling 70% better, and was able to start getting my life back in the direction it needed to go. If I'd had resisted medicating and had continued to avoid it...well...there's a pretty solid chance I wouldn't be here right now, no joke.

THAT is why I do NOT think it's a responsible approach to insist to people that all depression can be "cured" just by some minor lifestyle changes. For those of us whose brain chemistry sometimes fall so far out of whack that you don't know how to live normally, medication can quite literally save us when things are at their worst. Anyone who thinks that taking something like Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil turns you into a zombie has apparently zero idea how such medications affect people. I do admit, I didn't feel the "highs" as much as I did without the medication, but in order to not feel like taking my own life each day I woke up, I will say it's a fair trade to accept, and not all medications need to be taken for long periods of time. As soon as my situations have gotten under control, I ceased taking what I needed to for that period, and 14 years later I haven't had to consider such an option again.

I know that people want to offer solutions to avoid medicating, and that's fine. But, to assume that medications are an evil that should be avoided at all costs as if they can only make the issue worse, that's a dangerous combiation of ignorance and inability to truly empathize with the severity of another person's unique situation.

@ VeganEssentials

you're right. Maybe it was too irresponsible from us to advise not taking medication. Frankly, I don't have an idea how it looks like to be depressed more than couple of hours or to think about taking your own life, it is a state of mind unimaginable to me... So, my suggestion was stupid, I guess. Sorry

No worries, Vege - I DO think people should try lifestyle changes BEFORE deciding on medication if the symptoms aren't extremely severe, sometimes such things will work wonders for people. Unfortunately, it's more for those who have situational depression issues more as it tends to "get your mind off the problems", but when it takes every ounce of strength just to get out of bed, people often need more.

It never hurts to do things during the down times such as getting more exercise, getting as much sunlight as possible (or, tanning/using UV bulbs if weather does not permit), cleaning up the diet, staying busy, etc. They're all good suggestions for many cases, it's just that some people are beyond that in how they need to get their lives turned around to a more normal state. It's hard to relate to if you haven't been in such a situation yourself, so no worries about seconding such suggestions - they are valid, just that they don't work for everyone!

I've known people that have taken antidepressants when they were really just sad because their girlfriend left them or a family member died and they were like zombies till a few weeks after they stopped taking them. But, I've also known people that were actually depressed and they were definitely in much better shape within a couple weeks of going on antidepressants.

Anytime someone takes medication to help with a problem they don't have, weird shit can happen. During the 90's so many people that didn't need them were taking antidepressants and that is where a lot of this garbage about them being bad or unnecessary comes from.

Thanks for all the recommendations, and I agree with most that's been said..

Working out helps. - I know. Been doing that throughout last summer, but couldn't get myself to do anything that gets close to sport for months now.

I am not the kind of person who just surrenders and says "I give up. Now I'll take antidepressants and everything will be fine just by that." I fight hard. On some days I need to fight to just get out of bed, on other days I can concentrate on going further towards my goals, instead of just making sure that I at least get up, eat healthily and put on clean clothes. I know it sounds ridiculous, and I know that anybody who hasn't experienced it won't understand it, but on some days.. Just that will take a lot of fighting.

I take walks, I'm trying to get out as much as possible, I eat healthily, I take Vitamin D... It's just not enough.

It's not a situational depression. I've been fighting depression since I was 10 years old. More than once have I found myself wishing for nothing but death. More than once, I tried to reach that "goal".

Apparently, I'm still here, although I'm not always happy about that.

Anyway, I didn't mean to be whiny.. I just wanted to say, that I'm not taking antidepressants because "a boyfriend left me" or because I've lost a job etc. I've been literally dealing with this for half of my life..

So, everybody.. I'm not a friend of medications either. (No matter if it's antidepressants or anything else..) But I'm at a point where it's necessary to..

Keep taking care of yourself and fighting julia!

Thanks for the support, I will!

Hi. I have the same issue actually. I have just recently chosen not to take my antidepressants and instead do meditation and yoga. My antidepressants cause a lot of annoying side effects though so the choice was easier for me to go off them because of that. It is hard some days when I get really down but I still feel better not talking them. I hope this has helped a little bit. It is a frustrating situation to be in.

Kat xoxo

I have also suffered depression most my life. Just thought I would add that so you feel less alone

Kat xoxo

I've been taking them for almost 3 weeks now. I'm slowly starting to feel more stable. I definitely don't want to take them forever, but I feel that it's necessary at the moment. I rather deal with some annoying side-effects, than risk my life.. So that's why I've decided to take them for now.

I meditate as well!

I wish you all the best, and keep up the fight

julia i think you should try out indoor tanning ! i'd like to hear if it positively affects your mental health !

I appreciate the advice, but I'd rather not tan because of the risk of skin cancer

I appreciate the advice, but I'd rather not tan because of the risk of skin cancer

skin cancer is actually caused by diet, and tanning (linked to high levels of vitamin D ) has been shown to shrink melanoma, improve mood and boost metabolism, and reduce risk of prostate and breast cancer by 60% . Let's get educated by ourselves, not the cancer industry or government who stands to get rich off of dying sick and unhealthy people !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study_(book)

pick up this book, and get the facts about vitamin D and regular sun exposure... 15 minutes a day natural sunlight, and if it's the winter/fall go indoor tanning, but you don't need as long or as frequent because it's more pure/intense UVA and UVB.

For someone so concerned about their depression and how it controls your life, you really seem to be locked into a 'im helpless' mindset. It shocks me to hear that someone who's looking for solutions to their problems won't explore all the possible solutions ! Everybody has problems, that's a given, and no one is perfect either including me.

BTW, would you really think that I'm using my free time on this forum to spread dis-information and waste your time and mine ? If you really are so concerned about 'risks' then look into anti-depressants which increase the 'risks' of suicidal tendencies.

It comes down to your choice, have a nice day