Argumentative Essay On Antidepressants

1844 Words4 Pages

Waking up in the morning seems to be a task that daunts us all at some point in our lives. Fighting the grogginess that continues to descend upon someone’s waking mind. What if instead of eventually going away, that feeling stayed was there every single waking minute? People who have depression often feel this way, except instead of fighting grogginess they are fighting themselves. According to Merriam Webster antidepressants are defined as “used or tending to relieve or prevent depression” (“Definition of Antidepressants” 2018). Antidepressants are one of the most common remedies for depression. If they work effectively or not is another question. Some argue that people should be allowed to take antidepressants because they boost concentration, …show more content…

In some cases, antidepressants do not cure those taking them, others say that antidepressants are only suppressing the symptoms. A poem from HelloPoetry says, “I refuse to take antidepressants/ I refuse to be who I'm not/ I'm not a happy person who wants nothing but joy/ I am a person of selfhate/ That's just me and I'm not going to be a fake” (Chavez, 2015). Antidepressants are like curtains; they can hide things from sight, but that does not mean they are gone. All they do is simply repress depression. Resulting in those taking them not being a true version of themselves or “fake.” Therefore, they cannot technically be considered a cure. Those who make the decision to try antidepressants do not always have the best results. A classmate of mine has taken antidepressants for a month now and graciously answered some questions. One of the questions asked was, “Do you think antidepressants are effective? Why or why not?” they responded by, “Yes and no. They give me more energy and help me function better throughout the day, but they do not help my mood” (Anonymous, classmate, February 7, 2018). While the antidepressants do not seem to be completely ineffective, in the sense that there are some areas of improvement, overall they are not improving one’s depressive moods. Over time these depressive moods may lessen due to the energy boosts, but nothing is guaranteed. Depression varies depending on the person, causing …show more content…

Deciding to take antidepressants was a big factor that changed Dawson’s life, “I had nothing to lose so I went for them. I was very concerned about taking them: I was convinced they wouldn’t work, and I was terrified of the side effects. An old friend had had very bad reactions to them and I was concerned it’d be the same for me” (2018). Every part of a person is unique to them, which extends to mental illnesses. Antidepressants may be the solution for some, and in Dawson’s post, it is clear that they were the right choice for her. However, her friend was not as lucky. Fortunately, there are other ways that have been proven effective in helping with depression, which does not include taking medications. An article title Depression Treatment lists different kinds of treatment that do not include taking medication, such as therapy, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress reduction. At first glance, some of these treatments may seem dismissive of the severity of depression. Nevertheless, sometimes simple health care routines can give the best results. Sleeping in smaller amounts has been shown to affect moods in a negative mannerism. Exercising and eating healthy is also good for someone’s body and mind. Reducing stress is always a good way to help alleviate negative thoughts that creep in. Of course, all of these methods are sometimes easier said than done. If all else fails,

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