So you’ve just been prescribed an antidepressant, now what? I’ve been in your shoes– and while I am in no way a professional licensed to give medical advice–I did find it so helpful when I was first prescribed to talk to my friends and listen to their experiences with antidepressants. I’m sure you have some questions, so here is my experience and my “advice” to you.
Some background: I was first prescribed 25 mg of Zoloft for Anxiety/Depression about six months ago. Eventually, I realized that I was actually experinceing symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which was heightening my usual anxiety and depression. I was diagnosed with OCD about a month into being on Zoloft. Over time, I continued to up my dosage while being monitored by my doctor and I am currently at 100 mg.Â
I tell you all this to give you a clearer picture of how finding what works for you and getting the right diagnosis can sometimes be a longer process than you expected. However, in the end it is so worth it to find the help and support that you really need.
- Remember That Everyone’s Experience is Different
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Just like no two antidepressants are the same, no two experiences with antidepressants are going to be the same. Keep in mind that your first prescription may not be exactly right for you. What worked with your best friend may not work for you, or vice versa. That’s completely okay, it can take time to find the right fit! That’s why it is so important to keep your doctor/therapist informed about how you are feeling, from your mood to any side effects that you have been experiencing.Â
- Talk to a Therapist
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I cannot stress this enough: Go. To. Therapy. If it were up to me, everyone would be in therapy. It is essential to find a good therapist to be your support system when you’re first diagnosed/prescribed. It can be a scary step to find someone to trust with what you’re going through, but I promise it could be the missing puzzle piece in your mental health journey. If I had never taken that step of finding a good therapist, I never would have gotten the right diagnosis and would probably still be really struggling with my mental health.
- Track Your Mood(s)
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I’m not the best person to tell you to do this, as I only just recently started finally listening to my therapist about tracking my mood, but I will tell you that it has made a big difference in my personal mental health awareness. Not only is it helpful for you to know your personal triggers and mood fluctuations, it is also extremely useful when it comes to keeping your therapist and doctor informed about your mental health. Now when my therapist asks, “How have you been?” I can look back and tell her all about the specific patterns and fluctuations that I’ve noticed throughout the week. Of course, you can do this in any old notebook, but if you’re like me and you like everything to be in one place, I have been using a website called Notion to track everything from my daily mood to my habits. Having it all right there on my laptop has made it the easiest thing to remember to track how I’m feeling, and it’s aesthetically pleasing too. I seriously cannot rave enough about this website. This isn’t sponsored, I promise.Â
- Know Your Resources
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Fortunately for CofC students, there are some amazing mental health resources on campus to help you with your mental health journey. It can be a lot, dealing with mental illness as a college student, but you are definitely not alone and there are people who want to help.
Looking for a new therapist? The Counseling Center at the College has licensed therapists ready to talk with you about a range of issues from mental health to substance abuse. If you’re ready to schedule a virtual Telehealth appointment you can do so here.Â
Just wanna chat about how you’ve been feeling? Students 4 Support or S4S  is “a group of highly trained volunteers who provide nationally recognized crisis response techniques in a confidential, non-judgment environment.” You can talk to them about any number of problems that you might be facing as a college student, from relationship problems to academic issues. Just text “4support” to 839863 and someone will be avaible to chat with you from 4:00pm – 9:00pm Monday through Thursday! For more information about who S4S is and what they do, click here.Â
- Have Patience
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I’m sure you know this by now but the road to happy can sometimes be a long one. As uncomfortable as it can be dealing with mental illness, it’s even worse going through it alone. Talk to a professional, let your friends and family in on what you’re going through, and use the reasources that are available to you. I can tell you from personal experience that it really does get better, even when that seems impossible.
I want you to know that I am rooting for you on this journey. It’s only going to go up from here, I promise. Mental health is not always a walk in the park but you’re taking the first steps towards a life of joy and inner peace. Have patience. Go easy on yourself. And remember that you are so strong.Â