I lost my mum September 2024. My grief journey has been particularly hard and my Dr is wanting to put me on some form of antidepressants. I am so 50/50 with them and just don’t know what to do. I feel they will be beneficial to help bring down my low moods however I am just worried about the side effects and coming off them…. I have spoken to my dr about my worry’s and she has given me time, as well as we’ve spoken through some bits.
Hi Sophie, I lost my mum 9 weeks ago and the last few weeks have been really tough. I too spoke to the Dr about medication, and like you I worry about the side effects, though they say they wear off after a few weeks. I don’t worry so much about coming off them, at this point I need to get myself to a better place, mentally, so that I can function better, and hopefully rediscover the joys in life.
I think the idea is not to just rely on the pills, but to improve your overall health and fitness through diet and exercise, also meditation, therapy, yoga etc. Then you reduce the tablets very slowly over time.
There are a lot of strong opinions about antidepressants. But there are also a lot of people who take them successfully (and the numbers are increasing) - so they must be effective.
Do you have any friends who take them, who can talk you through what to expect?
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Thank you for your reply Rebecca, I am so sorry for your loss. I am due to start counselling end of this month. I have been regularly seeing dr about my grief to talk… and over the coming month they have seen quite a dip in my mental health so think it’s best I start some medication. It’s my choice completely but as you say yourself it’ll help you to get into a better place and this is what I need too. I don’t feel like myself anymore so think this will help me to get on the right path to feeling me again. If you ever need to chat do feel free to message me 
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That’s very kind of you, thank you.
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Hi Sophie.Panda11 and RebeccaJane,
Just read your posts and am so sorry you are going through all this.
I would say go along with whatever your doctor recommends as sometimes going through grief we don’t always see the person we have turned into.
I lost my mum in Dec 2022 and in the beginning well actually the first 4 months I was in a very dark place. I refused antidepressants because like you I was worried about taking them. Looking back now though I wish I had because looking back at videos and photos of myself I actually didn’t recognise myself or the person I had become. I cried because I saw how I was so ill with grief. Lost so much weight and didn’t get out of bed for 3 months. Totally neglected myself. I really should have had medication but if course I was unable to think straight. So follow your GPs advice so you don’t go through what I did.
I gradually got myself to a better place through setting small goals for each day, weekly etc and still set myself targets. Going out for a short 5 min walk every day helps. Distracting myself from my grief just for a few minutes helps do I always had a list of things to do when I was at my lowest. Still do that as well.
Thinking of you both
Deborah
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Thank you for your response and advice I am so sorry for your loss and am glad you have found yourself in a better place now.
Hi Deborah, thank you for your comment. Positive advice is always welcome, particularly from someone who’s been there and knows what it’s like.
I’m glad you’re in a better place now.
I too have lost weight, only half a stone but I wasn’t overweight, so I don’t really want to lose anymore.
Thanks again for your kind words.