Anonymous wrote:I started an SSRI at 15. I have an extensive family history of crippling depression, and several family members have attempted suicide. One succeeded. We did therapy for a few months first, but there was literally nothing wrong in my life. I was successful in school, was physically active, ate well, had hobbies, friends, a super nice boyfriend, got along great with my parents. And most of the time I wanted to not be alive.

Six weeks on an SSRI and I was fine. FINE. I’ve tried weaning off over the years under a doctor’s supervision (I’m 45), and the depression comes roaring back.

Yes, I’ve had some mild sexual dysfunction, and my doctor worked with me to experiment with different medications to address it. I’ve also struggled some with my weight. I greatly prefer those side effects to spending most of my waking hours wanting to die.

I’ve read all the critical articles about SSRIs, how people don’t actually need them, how exercise has a similar success rate, etc, etc. My anecdote is not data, but all I can say is they work for me, and have for 30 years, and I would not be a successful, functioning person without them. I likely would not be alive without them.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.psypost.org/scientists-link-antidepressants-to-long-lasting-genital-numbness-in-young-people/

Here's another thing we weren't told about before rushing our child onto ssris.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

If that were true then parents would not be medicating 6 year olds.

I’ve never heard of anyone medicating a 6 year old with SSRIs. My 6 year old was medicated for adhd because otherwise he ran into traffic, ran into walls, could not attend K without hitting other kids, etc. I did a single blind study by not telling anyone he worked with that I was starting the medication. Within one week both the teacher and the bus patrol reached out to me unsolicited to tell me what a wonderful week he’d had at school and how the problems had greatly diminished. He’s in HS and has been able to attend normal schools and take advanced classes without significant issues.

Another child was on SSRIs as a tween, but only for a short period and at a low dose. Our psychiatrist told us most teens only need SSRIs for a short period and standard of care is to do a trial reduction and weaning off after something like 6 months (might have been a year—not sure.). He said it’s rare that teens need to be on them for multiple years.


I have found however that GPs push ssris like candy onto middle aged moms. I talked to my doctor during the pandemic about exhaustion and she put me on lexapro. I promptly gained 10 pounds and was more exhausted and she kept pushing me to just increase the dose or give it more time. She really pressured me. Eventually I just stopped seeing her. I feel like lots of people just want to drug up middle aged women rather than just acknowledging that being a middle aged woman totally s@cks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

If that were true then parents would not be medicating 6 year olds.

I’ve never heard of anyone medicating a 6 year old with SSRIs. My 6 year old was medicated for adhd because otherwise he ran into traffic, ran into walls, could not attend K without hitting other kids, etc. I did a single blind study by not telling anyone he worked with that I was starting the medication. Within one week both the teacher and the bus patrol reached out to me unsolicited to tell me what a wonderful week he’d had at school and how the problems had greatly diminished. He’s in HS and has been able to attend normal schools and take advanced classes without significant issues.

Another child was on SSRIs as a tween, but only for a short period and at a low dose. Our psychiatrist told us most teens only need SSRIs for a short period and standard of care is to do a trial reduction and weaning off after something like 6 months (might have been a year—not sure.). He said it’s rare that teens need to be on them for multiple years.


I have found however that GPs push ssris like candy onto middle aged moms. I talked to my doctor during the pandemic about exhaustion and she put me on lexapro. I promptly gained 10 pounds and was more exhausted and she kept pushing me to just increase the dose or give it more time. She really pressured me. Eventually I just stopped seeing her. I feel like lots of people just want to drug up middle aged women rather than just acknowledging that being a middle aged woman totally s@cks.

I know of many children with autism who had to go on a variety of medications like SSRIs, anti-psychotics, etc. due to severe meltdowns that behavior therapy/OT can’t touch. The goal is for it to be temporary so they can actually absorb what they’re learning in therapy. Age and maturity help too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a great study, I think this issue needs higher quality research. From the article posted:

“The survey did not distinguish between specific types of antidepressants, such as SSRIs versus other drug classes, although most antidepressant prescriptions for youth are SSRIs or SNRIs. The data were also based on self-reports, which introduces the possibility of recall bias. Additionally, the researchers could not determine how long symptoms persisted after treatment or whether they were limited to reduced genital sensitivity or included other sexual side effects. The survey did not include baseline measures of sexual functioning before participants began taking medication, so it’s not possible to confirm whether the antidepressants caused the symptoms or simply coincided with them.”

Well that kinda contradicts the "permanent" in the title. And no baseline measure is a huge red flag. Thanks for this synopsis. Agree that higher quality research is warranted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

If that were true then parents would not be medicating 6 year olds.

I’ve never heard of anyone medicating a 6 year old with SSRIs. My 6 year old was medicated for adhd because otherwise he ran into traffic, ran into walls, could not attend K without hitting other kids, etc. I did a single blind study by not telling anyone he worked with that I was starting the medication. Within one week both the teacher and the bus patrol reached out to me unsolicited to tell me what a wonderful week he’d had at school and how the problems had greatly diminished. He’s in HS and has been able to attend normal schools and take advanced classes without significant issues.

Another child was on SSRIs as a tween, but only for a short period and at a low dose. Our psychiatrist told us most teens only need SSRIs for a short period and standard of care is to do a trial reduction and weaning off after something like 6 months (might have been a year—not sure.). He said it’s rare that teens need to be on them for multiple years.


I have found however that GPs push ssris like candy onto middle aged moms. I talked to my doctor during the pandemic about exhaustion and she put me on lexapro. I promptly gained 10 pounds and was more exhausted and she kept pushing me to just increase the dose or give it more time. She really pressured me. Eventually I just stopped seeing her. I feel like lots of people just want to drug up middle aged women rather than just acknowledging that being a middle aged woman totally s@cks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

If that were true then parents would not be medicating 6 year olds.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

Ice been here for over 10 years. I find people worry alot. I find people.will get second opinions from.the de.type of doctor. But I do not see people stepping outside the norm and doing much different at all.

Being on DCUM for over 10 years gives you zero credibility. DCUM is not the real world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

Ice been here for over 10 years. I find people worry alot. I find people.will get second opinions from.the de.type of doctor. But I do not see people stepping outside the norm and doing much different at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.

If you’ve spent any time on this forum you’d see that parents usually try absolutely everything snd don’t take the decision to medicate lightly at all.

Anonymous wrote:Parents jump to drugs for everything now. Most don’t actually try everything first, they want an easy out.