I may be way off base here, but I think most depression is when an emotional need is not met for a prolonged period of time. Stress over an amount of time can also lead to a feeling of helplessness and depression.

I think depression signifies that something in our lives has to change. We usually just don't know what that is or how to begin tackling that issue. Once given psychiatric drugs that alter our mood and outlook on life, many times that change needed never occurs. The new antidepressants were supposed to be a tool used to help people though this period of sorting out their lives. I have read that it isn't working as well as planned.

There are people with disorders that do require medication throughout life. When a lifestyle alteration and other means of sorting ones life is ineffective for prolonged depression, there is a probable medical problem causing a need for antidepressant therapy.

I don't think most people fit into that category. If you really take a look at the way we live today, life isn't that easy. There is a lot of stress on the job due to downsizing. Modern contraptions like cable TV, computers, and even air conditioning keep up isolated from others. We need human contact and friends to rely on. Most of us just don't have much of that in our lives anymore. We come home from work stressed out. We have household things that have to be done. We wind down watching TV or playing with a computer. We say hi to our neighbors coming and going from their driveways, but don't even really know who they are. There is not a lot of sense of bonding with others today. We get caught up in our own lives and responsibilities. Then we wonder why we feel depressed!

I myself have been placed on two meds, one is celexa, 20 mgs and trazodone 50 mgs. The reason being I have a sleeping disorder, not a chemical imbalance. My problem came to a boil, about a year and a half ago. I fell down my bedroom steps, in my sleep. The night terrors were getting worse beforr this occurred, chest pounding, difficulty breathing and also I had been sleep walking with eyes wide open. This is something I had since childhood. I couldn't get into the specialist right away, so the doctor prescribed celexa, because of advice from a psychiatrist I had seen previously. I was told by the psychiatrist that I was fine, that I just had a bad life and that if I started having problems with my sleep walking again to have the doctor prescribe celexa. Well, I finally got into the sleeping disorder center, they ran a overnight test which wasn't painful, just alot of wires hooked to your head, and found that I have my major nightmares in my delta sleep. Whatever that means, so I was put on clonapin at first along with the celexa. The clonapin made the dreams worse, more vivid. So I was weaned off the clonapin and put on the trazodone. I have no problem taking the two meds->(celexa and traxodone) I don't take the meds until I'm off of work and the trazodone right before bed. I sleep like a rock! I just wanted to say, this is just a fix for my body, but until I get too old to walk and they have to confine me to my bed, I will have to take this stupid med. It is just life, and we have to deal with it.
I think its great you could go off the med, before you got attached to it like I am. You are going to get better, please remember that. I hope you are taking care of yourself, like eating healthy foods, doing something that is relaxing, try to keep your mind off of it. Good Luck!

Soaring horse-thanks for your two cents. It makes me feel somewhat better to hear othere peoples stories. It's good to feel less alone.

You are never alone even if sometimes it seems that way. Anytime you have a question or just need an ear we are always here. If you click on to our names many of us have our e-mails listed, feel free to use them. There are a lot of caring people here willing to help!

Hello Winorlose,
I was just searching the web and saw your information posted. I am 19 years old and just recently became pregnant(5 months now) and had to go off of Paxil completely. Well. I did fine at first just had some anxiety attacks and some hot sweats & a lot of headaches. Well. Here recently, I noticed have sharp pains through my head ever once in awhile and ur head kinda feels wierd, like it's off balance or something. That is about the only way I can describe it. I read ur article and it sounded just as my head is doing.. Dizzy too. So, In ur opnion. do u think this is the cause of the withdraw from Paxil or should I be checked out for something else? It's just about every morning for the past few weeks when I wake up and it comes and goes. Does that sound like what happend to u?

that is exactly what it felt like for me, but becasue you are pregnent, I would suggest that you bring it up to your doctor on your next visit just to be safe.