I have a friend who just told me that she is suffering from depression. She's actually been battling it for a few years with different types of antidepressants. I can't imagine what she has been going through.Depression is a common condition in the U.S. According to Mental Health America, more than 19 million Americans have clinical depression. More interestingly, one in eight teens and one in 33 children have clinical depression. Approximately 15 percent of people hospitalized for depression eventually take their own lives -- a tragic statistic.
The good news is, depression is treatable -- 80 percent of people who seek treatment show improvement. I decided to find out what the most searched antidepressants are on AOL Search and discovered that Lexapro, Cymbalta and Zoloft are in the top three spots on the list. (Please remember: Before taking any medication, especially for a serious condition, you should always consult your doctor.)
Do you know of any depression treatments that did not show up on our list? If so, please tell us about them. You can read more about depression on AOL Body and search for depression treatments on AOL Search.
Top Searched Antidepressants on AOL Search:
1. Lexapro
2. Cymbalta
3. Zoloft
4. Wellbutrin
5. Prozac
6. Celexa
7. Paxil
8. Effexor
9. Trazodone
10. Remeron
See sponsored links for: depression symptoms, antidepressants, depression medication
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 8)
81. Obviously, most of you people have never had REAL depression, it's a daily battle to live!! Thank God I take Lexapro now. If not for that I would not be here!! Watching a funny movie,etc. does NOT work. If you don't know what you are talking about, keep your comments to yourself!!
Posted at 6:55PM on May 13th 2008 by Deanna
82. I found out how debilitating depression is.
I had a $80,000/yr. job and got laid off. I couldn't find another job that would come even close to paying the mortgage, bills, etc.
At the same time, depression hit (my Mom had it bad when I was young and it led to her alcoholism and death).
When you are depressed, you are sick. Not physically sick, but - just as serious - you are mentally sick.
People who have not experienced it or had someone they were close to who was depressed just don't understand. They do not help depressed seek help and treatment.
I got help and am on medication. But, many depressed individuals who do not recognize depression do not get help in time. It ruins not only their lives, but others around them. Many commit suicide.
Posted at 6:56PM on May 13th 2008 by Kirk Griffiths
83. Drugs do not cure ANYTHING!!! They treat symptoms, and cause illnesses and diseases! The FDA knows it, and the drug companies know it!! When a drug kills 100,000 people, they already KNEW it would kill 100,000 people!! They make too much money to care! Depressed? People, these drugs are going to kill you, slowly and surely. Your systems will start shutting down. When it happens, they will deny that it was the drugs that did it.
There are NATURAL cures for everything! Seek out alternative healthcare practitioners that do not use drugs or surgery.
Posted at 6:57PM on May 13th 2008 by Darryl L.
84. I have suffered from depression for years. Like someone else stated, I developed it in my early teens, but didn't know what it was. Only that I felt different, strange. I am not saying all people with depression should take medication, but anyone against drugs,either never had depression or serious depression like I do, so please don't presume to tell me and others suffering to just watch a funny movie or stop taking meds. They have been a lifesaver for me
Unfortunately, my family, my husband in particular, doesn't understand. He also refuses to read about or ask questions. He just sees me as a "B" at times. I have been there for him through a lot but he refuses to be there for me, so I battle it with good friends who understand.
Posted at 7:03PM on May 13th 2008 by susan
85. Hi I had clinical depression
did stand up comedy
to stave off the depression
it worked
laughter is the best medicine
It was very tough dark nite of the soul but I did it!
Posted at 7:05PM on May 13th 2008 by colleen oshea
86. Hi I had clinical depression
did stand up comedy
to stave off the depression
it worked
laughter is the best medicine
It was very tough dark nite of the soul but I did it!
Posted at 7:06PM on May 13th 2008 by colleen oshea
87. It is just as bad to say stop taking meds and go to such and such a website for a miracle cure - whatever it is - as it is to say "see your doctor, take meds, start living" (as someone did in this thread).
Both approaches are irrelevant because each individual case is so different.
As for doctors, they have the meds but as someone said they are just taking a stab in the dark. They don't know what they're doing. There may be an art to their profession, but they don't practice it nor do they have a clue how to.
On the other hand, anyone who has experienced depression or anxiety knows that weight, exercise, diet, thinking cheerful thoughts - all those things are irrelevant too when one is in this predicament.
The nature of the beast is that there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and if someone says here this is the light they usually know nothing about your own case.
"One size fits all" is the medical mantra and it's just not true.
So what to do? That's the dilemma. There is no use
expecting results from your own efforts, from pills or the efforts of the "experts". You can however observe yourself in a sincere way and hope for positive change.
Paradoxically once you see that there is a chance you can make progress.
Posted at 7:07PM on May 13th 2008 by keith
88. I wish people understood that depression is not being unhappy and/or dissatisfied about anything. I was born this way. Everything's fine, except for me.
Posted at 7:10PM on May 13th 2008 by rodehazard
89. Depression is very real.I am a succesful athlete, and person.Yet I battled deperession on a daily basis.Dont give me that shit, just get over it.Thats like telling some one to get over a asthma attack, or a heart attack.To those who are in deperession my heart goes out to you.Even when I would do well as an athlete or closed a big buissnes deal, depression would creep in.Yes there is that moment of happiness, but that goes away real quick.I am still trying diffrent medications, and going to therapy once a week.I am a christian man who prays to god for myself and all of those who battle depresion.If you dont have depression please dont comment on this topic, keep your mouth shut, because you dont know what people who are depressed have to go through on a daily basis.When your depressed you have no hope, your body aches, and you want to crawl out of your own skin.I have a beutifil wife,3 cars, a 6 bedroom house and I make alot of money.But when depression hits me, non of this means anything.I wish I could just watch a funny movie or just snap out of it.I wish it was that easy.If you have depression may god help you find a cure, and may god help you find true happiness.If you dont battle depression, please dont reply to my message, because I dont care what you have to say.Because unless you been severely depressed, your just talking out your ass.It is so easy to bash, unless you walked a mile in my shoes.A person who is clinicaly depressed could win the lottery, or even have everything in the world going for them.Yet they feel no joy.Depression is very real folks .
Posted at 7:12PM on May 13th 2008 by mammoth702
90. NO ONE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SUFFER FROM THAT TERRILE ILNESS.UNLESS THEY BEEN TRUE IT.
Posted at 7:12PM on May 13th 2008 by Iris
91. Until you have been a person to have been effected by depression or anxiety, it is not ok to give advice. I personally have been one of those people to tell depressives to get over it or move on, until I went through serious anxiety and depression. to the point that my husband was scared to leave me alone. Afraid that I would take my life. But I have been "saved" by my friend Paxil. I have been on it for two years and have no side effects. I even took it while I was pregnant and have a very smart and healthy 10 month old boy.
Posted at 7:14PM on May 13th 2008 by jrb2jab
92. Drugs shut down the possibility of ones own natural healing faculties.
And they are bandaids which only mask an imbalance. They can't right the ship. But if they work go for it; try them. Hopefully in small doses. We need hope always. This can be restorative too. Even a placebo effect is a positive thing perhaps.
But don't allow it to proceed to the point of disorientation, memory loss and even worsening moods, which is often the result.
At that point try something else.
Posted at 7:15PM on May 13th 2008 by keith
93. I've been on Paxil for 2 years. I was having horrible panic attacks and this medication worked wonders. It took away my panic attacks. It also took away my sex drive and my creativity. As an artist this was a disaster. I have been trying to wean myself from this medication for several months and still am on it. When I went cold turkey, after about a week I started having these sensations that felt like electric shocks going up through my neck. I also started having panic attacks again. I went to my doctor and he was totally ignorant of the severe withdrawals from getting off of Paxil. I tried to explain it. I have been slowly weaning myself and am now taking only 10 mg a day as opposed to the 30 mg I was taking. I have Xanax to help and it does help. Please, before you start taking this medication or others like it, do some research!
Posted at 7:15PM on May 13th 2008 by Dixie
94. I have battled depression for more than 10 years. I have been treated with ALL of the top ten you named except Cymbalta and Remeron. I have also been treated with 3 others Serzone, Pamelor, and buspar. I pray daily to be delivered from depression.
Posted at 7:16PM on May 13th 2008 by Leigh
95. No two human beings are exactly the same, therefore it follows that none of us have identical symptoms or react to the treatment therapies - be it meds and/or counseling - in the same manner. Be intelligent;listen/read all the advice and opinions you want but in the end the choices are all yours. With any professional help you seek do your homework first. Get recommendations. Listen to your intuition. Don't be afraid to 'move on' if you come out of a session feeling that you were not on the same page. Yes, I have depression. I also experience high levels of anxiety and some other related symptoms .I have had some incredibly low, scary times. I had to WANT to 'live' and be happy and functioning again badly enough to pull myself through the above mentioned steps. Listen, I'm no one special or extraordinary. I take meds and find no shame in it. I also try to live in a 'healthful' way; good diet,a variety of hobbies and take each day as it comes. There can be 'better health through chemistry' but it most certainly needs to be combined with other lifestyle choices. Do NOT let other people tell you what you 'need' or what is or isn't wrong with you. Above all else, be patient. This is a, disease that is not cureable but most certainly is controllable at some level for each of us.
Posted at 7:17PM on May 13th 2008 by Liz
96. Why did they do away with the old Nardil. They came out with the new Nardil and doesn't work as good as the old Nardil. Now I am back to being homebound again with anxiety and agoraphobia. I never seen articles about the reason. I wish they bring back the old Nardil. Lots of us are suffering on the old Nardil. Here's a website about it: http://www.stratguitar.com/nmember
Posted at 7:18PM on May 13th 2008 by Josephine M
97. Why did they do away with the old Nardil. They came out with the new Nardil and doesn't work as good as the old Nardil. Now I am back to being homebound again with anxiety and agoraphobia. I never seen articles about the reason. I wish they bring back the old Nardil. Lots of us are suffering on the CORRECTION: NEW Nardil. Here's a website about it: http://www.stratguitar.com/nmember
Posted at 7:20PM on May 13th 2008 by Josephine M
98. any one who is depressed should try other approaches to rid them of depression. while some of these medicines may provide help they also have nasty side effects.
i also dont think that this is the place to write your life story. just write an opinion.
Posted at 7:21PM on May 13th 2008 by forkuu
99. Depression and mental illness for that matter are difficult conditions to understand. When docs diagnose diabetes or other conditions, lab tests, etc. are used. Currently there is not a lab test or scan which is used to diagnose. However, lots of research is being done with PET scans and functional MRI's. These tests may provide the means to very accurately diagnose Depression, ADD, Bipolar disease, etc. So far the research is showing changes in parts of the brain when depression is not treated thoroughly. They are beginning to be able to see the relationship between depression and heart disease, obesity and even diabetes. The research shows that these conditions are very real diseases associated with organic changes. I would hope that none of us would belittle an individual with cancer for seeking medical treatment. Why would we belittle someone with a different condition for seeking treatment?
Posted at 7:27PM on May 13th 2008 by Beth
100. Please advise Number 75 that Xanax is more addictive than Paxil. I made comment number 76 also, I forgot to add Xanax. I have been on Xanax for 14 years. YOU CAN NOT COME OFF XANAX COLD TURKEY. My doctor will not take the responsibility of taking me off bbecause the chances of me having a stroke or dying in my category(hypertension) is about 85%.
Posted at 7:28PM on May 13th 2008 by Leigh