# Celexa...the right decision?



## euphrosyne_rose (Nov 29, 2011)

Long story short (as much as possible), I've been really down in the dumps for probably the past 6 months. I think it's been weighing on me longer than that but it's really hit me in the past few months. Basically, I've been single for over 3 years now. My last relationship ended with me breaking things off and I do not at all regret the decision b/c I was absolutely miserable. For awhile, I totally enjoyed being single and not having to deal with another person's issues but lately, I feel like something's gotta give. At times I do still enjoy being single but I really miss having someone special to share things with, to laugh with, be intimate with, etc. I live in a somewhat small town and I work in the front office of a private school so about 95% of the men I come into contact with are married with children. My 2 closest friends are a gay guy and my best friend since high school who just got married last year. I haven't decided how I feel about the whole online dating thing but a big part of me seems to want to shy away from that idea for some reason.

  	On top of all that, I live with my dad for financial reasons and also b/c otherwise, he'd be living alone which is another long story in itself. I don't mind living with him and we don't have any problems, but it eats at me that I can't afford to live on my own. Both of my best friends and another friend who lives in another state have recently bought their first house and while they do make more money than I do, I still feel envious that I'm nowhere near being able to do that for myself. They also recently just started buying furniture and things for their houses and Jennifer has even gone into remodeling portions of her house. She also just found out she's pregnant and I am totally happy for her, but again I feel a little lost b/c now it's like they are "growing up" and moving on and I'm not. I feel alot of times especially with Jennifer that I don't have anything interesting anymore to talk about b/c I'm not in a relationship, I'm not buying or decorating a house and I'm not having a child. My friends keep reassuring me that eventually "the one" will cross my path and I know at some point they're right but then a part of me wonders if that'll really ever happen. I reconnected back in July with an ex from about 10 years ago but that only lasted about a month. Things ended well and we're still friends but that's the first date I had had since I broke up with the last guy in 2008. I just feel a little lonely and I guess a little behind everyone else in my life. I know that's not something I should be focusing on b/c everyone is different, but I think it's understandable to feel that way.

  	About 3 weeks ago, I had an appointment scheduled for my yearly checkup with my regular doctor and I had been thinking about the depression angle. I'm already anemic, have hypothyroidism and uclerative colitis so I am already fatigued alot of the time but I thought back and realized that I had been moody, easily irritated and I had to admit to myself that I had been feeling very down and sad. Not to knock anyone who takes anti-depressants, but I always sort of felt like it was something I shouldn't take if I ever needed to b/c I felt like it makes you feel something you don't really feel and if you're sad, then that's a real emotion. It's kind of hard to explain but I've never been totally against it either. When I had my appointment, the doctor asked how I was and how I was feeling and without even thinking about it, I blurted out that I had been feeling cranky and down in the dumps and he asked for how long so I explained it had been for at least a couple of months so he suggested starting me on Celexa. He said that it didn't sound like I needed anything major and said possibly this was just a bad spell I was having and needed something to get over this little hump so he prescribed the Celexa and said at the end of the year to come back and see him and we'd see how I was doing. If I thought I was doing better then we'd try taking me off of it and see what happened. I've been taking it for 3 weeks now and I do feel a little better and don't think about those things quite as much. I still wonder if going ahead and taking something was the best solution.

  	For the record, I haven't told any of my friends I'm taking the Celexa. It's not that I don't want them to know, but I don't want them to do the pity party. It really startled my mom when I told her, even though I had been talking to her for awhile about the stuff that bothered me.

  	Anyone have any input or experience? I'd appreciate it. )


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## abbyquack (Dec 2, 2011)

I also take Celexa (going on 1 year now) and it has been the best decision I've ever made. I have had a somewhat difficult year filled with many transitions including divorce, and so to have a mild anti-depressant just to take the edge off has been a life saver. Actually, the reason I even got on it in the first place was because I have struggled with mild anxiety for a few years now- it was really becoming a distraction from me enjoying life, and after visiting two different counselors without success, I decided it couldn't hurt to try something. Indeed, my anxiety is completely gone now and I'm able to enjoy life a lot more without being plagued with all the phobias and overwhelming feelings I originally thought.

  	I understand your struggle with debating whether or not you want to be on anti-depressants, but the way I look at it is, why make the fight that much harder if you don't have to? In my experience (surely it varies from person to person), it is a fairly unobtrusive drug, with little side effects, and is affordable ($4 a month) and yet has a relatively powerful effect on your entire life. Even if for a short time while you figure things out. But there's nothing wrong with a little help, especially through a time in which you're having major reflections on your life and the direction you want it to take. I know how that feels! Having now ended my marriage, I'm also in transition between housing, my job, etc. So life is very up in the air for me too, and I know how it feels to see other people around you seeming to have things figured out or moving on. 

  	Good luck with everything, don't stress too much about it, and you will find that things will work themselves out: you will know what to do when the time is right.


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## euphrosyne_rose (Dec 2, 2011)

abbyquack said:


> I also take Celexa (going on 1 year now) and it has been the best decision I've ever made. I have had a somewhat difficult year filled with many transitions including divorce, and so to have a mild anti-depressant just to take the edge off has been a life saver. Actually, the reason I even got on it in the first place was because I have struggled with mild anxiety for a few years now- it was really becoming a distraction from me enjoying life, and after visiting two different counselors without success, I decided it couldn't hurt to try something. Indeed, my anxiety is completely gone now and I'm able to enjoy life a lot more without being plagued with all the phobias and overwhelming feelings I originally thought.
> 
> I understand your struggle with debating whether or not you want to be on anti-depressants, but the way I look at it is, why make the fight that much harder if you don't have to? In my experience (surely it varies from person to person), it is a fairly unobtrusive drug, with little side effects, and is affordable ($4 a month) and yet has a relatively powerful effect on your entire life. Even if for a short time while you figure things out. But there's nothing wrong with a little help, especially through a time in which you're having major reflections on your life and the direction you want it to take. I know how that feels! Having now ended my marriage, I'm also in transition between housing, my job, etc. So life is very up in the air for me too, and I know how it feels to see other people around you seeming to have things figured out or moving on.
> 
> Good luck with everything, don't stress too much about it, and you will find that things will work themselves out: you will know what to do when the time is right.


  	Thanks so much! I think we've chatted before here on threads about similar things. I'm sorry to hear about your divorce since I've been through one myself (what seems like many moons ago since I was only 23 at the time) but I'm glad things are working out better for you. Hearing about another person's experience always helps to know you aren't alone. Over the past week or so I've gotten a better handle on things and have noticed that I don't feel nearly as miserable as I did before and you are right-- having the Celexa has certainly taken the edge off and I have been enjoying myself that much more with my family and friends. So far I've had no side effects that I can really think of except possibly being slightly more tired. I find myself yawning WAY more than I used to during the day but it's a small price to pay for feeling better. Thanks so much for the input and the pep talk!


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## damagedmassacre (Jun 12, 2014)

I took celexa for 3 months for mood swings and instant came off it. At first it helped me but I started gaining weight and then I got to where I found myself more depressed than before.. Everyone's diff tho but it was awful to me.


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