Should I take medication? -Mental Health

Heyy every1,

This is something I had to choose myself, I had no one that I knew of who was on antidepressants or any other medication considering mental health.

So I thought for all of you out there who also, like me didn't know what to expect I'll give you a little over view of my experience with Fluoxetine also known as Prozac or Sarafem.
Maybe for those who know someone taking medication for the well-being of their mental state, you can also get an idea of what it may feel like for them.

This is just my experience. It won't be the same for everybody!

I had reached a time in my life where I felt stuck, this had been going on for a good year and a half and I had been in therapy but things didn't seem to get better. My psychologist suggested I'd go see a psychiatrist (a doctor who specialises in mental health). I went there a couple times, first I tried some sort of homoeopathic pills and then we decided to go a little higher. After a few tests I took, my doctor suggested fluoxetine and we started at a low dosis, I still am on quite a low one now.

At first I felt really tired however my psychologist said that it isn't a side effect and I was probably getting too little sleep. But I know for sure it came from the medication because I always go to bed around about the same time, same goes for waking up.

I also had a dry throat but all of these things stopped after about a month.

Pros:

1. I finally found interest in most things after being so down and lying in bed on regular afternoons. So now, I do archery again which I absolutely love! I'm on a waiting list for horse riding lessons! And next school year I'll be learning the drums and guitar.
2. I don't mind waking up in the mornings. I get out of bed on weekends at round about 9 am, I used to get up at 11. Usually I'm also quite excited to see what the day will bring before it was a chore to do anything really.
3. My mood swings balanced out. I would have huge highs and eventually sink into these dark lows and now it's all-round ok.
4. Less arguments with my parents. We are all thankful that there are people out there who really care for us, often they don't know what's going on and how to react so for me medication kind of reassured them that I'm going to get better. That I'm getting help and know that I'm in good hands. This obviously also depends on your doctor. But I'm sure no one would want to go to a doctor they're not entirely comfortable with.

Cons:

1. I don't feel like I'm me any more. It feels like I'm two people. Someone on the outside that's influenced by the medication and believes everything is fine and the one on the inside that's still the insecure little girl like before that feels just as she did before. It's not like two different moods that switch it's like faking it but you can't help it. Don't know if that made any sense, can anyone relate? 
2. It feels like the medication is slowly wearing off. I am on a low dosis, but the aim is to gradually take less but I think I have to take a higher dosis considering the circumstances I'm mentally in.
3. I am quite dependant on them. If I forget to take them I realize my mood dropping and I can get very cranky :D

I would advise you to try everything that's possible, try to get help, try new things, maybe go see your doctor or a therapist but if nothing works, do give medication a go.
I'm sure, if you do really want to get better anything is worth a go!
No matter the side effects or trouble you may have to go through, you can't lose anything from trying. If it doesn't work try something else. Just make sure you do talk to someone or at least keep someone informed about your new plans and thoughts and not keep it all to yourself, talking can mend so many wounds on it's own already and with the help of a family member or friend the little steps you take won't be so frightening because someone is right beside you encouraging you to carry on!

Hope I could help some of you out there!! See you soon!