I take Cymbalta, which definitely takes the pain of depression away. But I feel tired and I have no interest in activities. Also, people get on my nerves. I'm not interested in them and feel they are a chore. I used to be so happy and outgoing. Do I need different medication?
If you have minimized the pain of depression with medication, then you are more than half way toward getting better. However, the symptoms you report, such as lethargy and lack of interest in people and activities, could result from a number of things. You might be less depressed, but you might still be experiencing clinical depression overall. It is possible to relieve the acute stress of a low mood, but still continue to feel symptoms such as low energy. Let's look at some of the possibilities:
We often make ourselves vulnerable to depression with negative thinking that unfairly attacks our sense of efficacy and worth—pessimism and self-denigration, for instance. You might have learned patterns of thinking that diminish your options, your sense of self, and your ability to affect your future. You might tell yourself, for example, that you cannot change things that you actually can change, and have little confidence in knowing the difference (to paraphrase Reinhold Niebuhr's maxim).
You may be indulging in an overly critical or negative way of thinking, and you'd benefit from a better understanding of how your thinking can affect your moods. If you are not interested in socializing or engaging with other people, examine your thoughts about the situation. Are you telling yourself: "They must be fascinating, otherwise they are totally uninteresting." With this type of thinking, you will inevitably give up before you find others interesting. If your negative forecast assumes that people would be a chore, you will fulfill your prediction.
Also, you might not yet have found the right balance of medication, social activity, and more meaningful interaction with people. Some antidepressants come with side effects such as loss of pleasure. Psychologists advocate changing your interpersonal habits and improving your social skills by reaching out, learning to smile, make eye contact, and to learn to use open-ended questions, which invite more intimacy into your experiences. Other practical changes in routine can also help, such as rising early from bed, or getting lots of natural light, or exercising more. Your treatment may require more time and experimentation, so work with you doctor. Working as a team can be potent.
If you were once happy and outgoing, it is very likely that you can regain your sense of adventure and reconstruct your world anew. Still being somewhat depressed does not negate the good work you've already done to minimize your depression. Take heart, now comes the second part of your goal: continuing to get better by thinking more rationally about your world, yourself, and other people.
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