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Do Antidepressants Work?

Jonathan Riley

When we think about depression, one of the first things that often comes to mind is antidepressant medication. For many of us, antidepressants seem like a straightforward answer to a difficult problem. We hear stories about people who take medication and feel better, and it can be tempting to think that a pill might be the solution to lifting the weight of depression. But like many things in life, it’s not quite that simple.

Antidepressants do work, but how they work and what they do might not always be what we expect. These medications are designed to affect the chemicals in our brain, such as serotonin, that influence our mood. When we’re depressed, our brain’s chemistry can be out of balance, and antidepressants aim to correct that. However, it’s important to remember that antidepressants are not a cure for depression. They can help manage the symptoms, making it easier for us to cope with the day-to-day struggles, but they don’t address the root causes of why we feel the way we do.

One thing we need to be aware of is that antidepressants don’t work for everyone in the same way. Some of us might notice a significant improvement in our mood, energy, and outlook after starting medication. For others, the change might be subtle or even nonexistent. It’s also worth mentioning that it can take time for the medication to have an effect, sometimes several weeks, and finding the right dosage or type of antidepressant can involve a lot of trial and error.

Even when antidepressants do help, they usually only take the edge off. They don’t magically make the depression disappear. We might still experience sadness, fatigue, or other symptoms, but the medication can make them feel more manageable. That’s why antidepressants are often just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to treating depression. They can be a helpful tool, but they’re not the entire solution.

Let’s think about it this way: if we have a broken leg, taking painkillers might help reduce the pain, but the leg won’t heal just by taking medication. We’d still need to go through the process of setting the bone, using crutches, and doing physical therapy to fully recover. Antidepressants are similar. They might help with the immediate discomfort, but they don’t address the underlying emotional and psychological issues that contribute to depression.

This is where psychotherapy comes in. While antidepressants can help with the symptoms, therapy helps us understand the deeper issues at play. Through therapy, we can start to explore the patterns, experiences, and thoughts that contribute to our depression. We might learn to identify negative thinking patterns or unresolved trauma that we’ve been carrying. We can develop coping strategies, learn better ways to manage stress, and find healthier ways to deal with emotions. Psychotherapy helps us build the tools we need to address depression in a lasting way.

For example, let’s consider someone named Emma. She’s been struggling with depression for a few years and decided to try antidepressants after talking with her doctor. After a few weeks, Emma noticed she wasn’t feeling as weighed down by her emotions, but she still wasn’t feeling happy or fulfilled. She could get through her workday and take care of basic responsibilities, but deep down, she felt something was missing. That’s when Emma decided to start therapy. In therapy, she began to unpack some of the issues that had been building up for years—stress from her childhood, unhealthy relationship patterns, and unrealistic expectations she had set for herself. Through therapy, Emma started to understand why she felt the way she did and began to make changes in her life that helped her feel more in control and more connected to herself.

Emma’s antidepressants helped her get to a place where she had enough energy and stability to start making progress in therapy, but it was the therapy that really helped her address the root of her depression. Antidepressants alone wouldn’t have gotten her there. They were a tool, not a solution.

For many of us, there’s a desire to find a quick fix when we’re struggling with depression. It’s hard to feel stuck in the darkness, and the idea that medication could make it all better is appealing. But depression is complex, and expecting medication alone to solve it can lead to disappointment. We might feel frustrated if the medication doesn’t bring us the relief we were hoping for, or we might find that the symptoms return if we stop taking it.

Antidepressants can certainly play a role in managing depression, and for some of us, they might be an essential part of our treatment. But it’s important to understand that they’re not the end-all solution. Depression often stems from deeper issues that need to be addressed through therapy, self-reflection, and sometimes even lifestyle changes.

When we rely solely on medication without exploring the emotional and psychological aspects of our depression, we might only be treating the symptoms without getting to the heart of the problem. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, offers a way to work through the layers of depression, helping us to heal in a more lasting way.

Understanding that antidepressants are a tool, not a cure, can help us take a more balanced approach to our mental health. It’s okay to seek help through medication, but it’s also important to remember that true healing often comes through deeper self-work and professional guidance. By combining medication with therapy, we give ourselves the best chance at overcoming depression and finding long-term relief.

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression, you don’t have to go through it alone. At My Practice Counselling Melbourne, Jonathan Riley and our team are here to help. Reach out today to start your journey toward a healthier, happier life. Contact us now to book an appointment.