Is It Me or My Meds?: Living with Antidepressants

This book was recommended on a blog. I found it most helpful in working through the question of whether to use meds, or not to use meds for depression/anxiety. I got a bit bored 3/4 of the way through and never finished. Bottom line, I found meds are okay to take when you need them, even if it's for a short time to get you through periods of depression and anxiety. Meds may be needed long-term. The meds help you look at yourself and your world more clearly so that you are able to "get over" the period of anxiety/depression more easily

I really enjoyed this book. The book comprises 50 interviews with people who have taken medications for depression or bipolar (manic depression) together with the observations of the author, a long-term patient with depression and anxiety. The book opens with the author's discussion of his own unsuccessful attempts to get off anti-depressants. Much of the book suggests that patients are ambivalent about taking meds for depression and in many cases are eager to live a life free of prescription drugs. Although he does concede that while there were many people who resisted medication there were some who welcomed it with relief. Doctors encourage patients to take medications likening the drugs to treatments for diabetes or headaches. However there is one criticial difference. These are mind altering substances. Dr Karp discusses the wholistic impacts of taking meds, taking into account improvements in mood but also the side effects of meds which may include nausea, weight gain, loss of libido and a drugged feeling. Also as the author points out many of these drugs are relatively new. While they have been tested and found safe this is only within the parameters of their testing. If a drug has only been around for 10 years there is no way to know what it's long term effect may be ... In my experience with doctors they are all reading from the same script. Chin up try harder push through. you're not really tired and drugged out feeling you're just not trying hard enough. It was wonderful to read a book that sympathetically portrayed all aspects of anti depressants. Dr Karp likens the relationship with meds to a marriage. I thought he took this analogy too far. I agree that many people go on meds not realising it may be a lifetime proposition but the whole engagement and marriage scenario was stretched. This is a great read for anyone taking medication for anxiety, bipolar or depression. For caregivers, relatives and support people dealing with a loved one with depression and anxiety it offers insights into the struggles that many people experience with meds. I definitely recommend this book. It would be 5 star except for two things. The book isn't especially objective - the interviewees are at the extreme end of the spectrum and may not be representative as a while. My second concern is that the ambivalence of patients to take meds may encourage some people to quit their anti-depressants. I would definitely like doctors, psychologists and other health professionals to read this book and gain a better understanding of the confusion that many patients experience.