What we're the first improvements while on AD?

signs · Feb 01, 2020 at 11:09 AM

Hello,

What were your first improvements when you started an AD. Whether it would be energy, appetite, mood or something else. I'm curious

Yaowen · Feb 01, 2020 at 07:58 PM

What a great question. For me the first improvement on an AD was sleep. Then appetite and energy level. If I remember correctly, it was mood improvement which was the next improvement I felt.

downandlonely · Feb 01, 2020 at 07:59 PM

I feel a major mood improvement. Life just doesn't seem so bleak. I also didn't really have an appetite before meds, although I started them around puberty.

WastingAsparagus · Feb 03, 2020 at 12:02 AM

When I was on the right combo (which took a couple years to find) -- I felt an uptick in my activity level and mood in general. This was before the 6-8 weeks that doctors typically say that antidepressants take to reach their maximum effect. I also noticed my motivation coming back, albeit slowly. But still, it was a huge relief, especially after being depressed for so long.

bpcyclist · Feb 03, 2020 at 05:10 AM

Little more energy and mood lift. Slowly.

splitimage · Feb 03, 2020 at 07:25 AM

I first started noticing my surroundings more, instead of just being in a fog all the time. Then I found I was noticing little things were making me smile, and slowly my mood improved.

This may sound stupid, but now I can gauge how my mood is by the extent to which I notice dogs walking. When I'm down, I don't notice dogs. When I'm not depressed, I notice dogs and how happy they seem on their walks.

splitimage

*Beth* · Feb 08, 2020 at 08:41 PM

A really important question, I'm glad you posted it.

I was prescribed an AD for the first time about 25 years ago. What a relief it was. The first thing I noticed was that my level of anxious fear dropped substantially. I felt like for the first time in my life I could live outside of myself, rather than constantly having to look within myself, focusing on my fear/depression/anxiety. I could reach out.

I felt more courageous and able to truly live and enjoy life.

The downside of AD's (and pretty much all meds) is that along about my late 40's they stopped being as effective. It takes more meds to help soften the edges of my bipolar disorder - especially depression and severe anxiety.

~Christina · Feb 10, 2020 at 01:54 AM

When I’m depressed my life is just like a black and white film... everything is dull, flat,gloomy.. I feel like I’m covered in thick soaking wet heavy blankets

As meds would start to work my life would slowly show a hint of color which would become brighter and I start want to interact with the world again

I start to feel some of those layers of blankets fall away.

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What we're the first improvements while on AD?

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signs Member Member Since Jun 2019 Location: Lithuania Posts: 64 4 7 hugs given	Feb 01, 2020 at 11:09 AM #1 Hello, What were your first improvements when you started an AD. Whether it would be energy, appetite, mood or something else. I'm curious
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Yaowen Grand Magnate Member Since Jan 2020 Location: USA Posts: 3,618 (SuperPoster!) 4 6,475 hugs given	Feb 01, 2020 at 07:58 PM #2 What a great question. For me the first improvement on an AD was sleep. Then appetite and energy level. If I remember correctly, it was mood improvement which was the next improvement I felt.
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downandlonely Legendary Member Since Mar 2018 Location: United States Posts: 10,760 (SuperPoster!) 6 10.6k hugs given	Feb 01, 2020 at 07:59 PM #3 I feel a major mood improvement. Life just doesn't seem so bleak. I also didn't really have an appetite before meds, although I started them around puberty.
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bpcyclist Legendary Member Since Sep 2019 Location: Portland Posts: 12,681 (SuperPoster!) 4 40.2k hugs given	Feb 03, 2020 at 05:10 AM #5 Little more energy and mood lift. Slowly. __________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield
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