Depression and AAS

Introduction
A lot of questions have arose regarding depression on a lot
of boards that are predominately focused on AAS. I will afford
some of my experiences with you all as well as some opinions.
I will be using the acronym "AD's" for Anti-Depressants"
throughout the atricle. I hope you all enjoy this information.
Please feel free to PM me with any comments or questions you
may have. ~dogsofwar

General info regarding Anti-Depressants
Anti-depressants use a multitude of different ways to increase
seratonin levels in the brain. The most popular are SSRI's;
Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors. In poorly understood
ways this increase often significantly helps depression and
several other mood disorders. It is not always known how some
AD's work in the general class of the drug.

At some point in time it was discovered that SSRIs tended to
lessen the symptoms of other mood disorders besides depression.
Those suffering from eating disorders and anxiety disorders have
often benefited. Included among the beneficiaries have been
people with panic disorder, generalized anxiety, obsessive-
compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder. If you feel
overly anxious or depressed, SSRIs may be very helpful for you.
Don't give up on the idea if you have taken them before without
success. You may not have taken the medication long enough or
the dosage may have been inadequate. Perhaps you need a different
SSRI or a different class of medication entirely. Please don't
give up. Practically all sufferers of depression and anxiety can
be helped by a combination of medication and counseling.
You may have an anxiety disorder if you worry incessantly or feel
constantly "on edge". These feelings may cause headaches, abdominal
discomforts, easy sweating, a pounding heart, trouble breathing or
sleep disturbances.
This comment courtesy of: University of Wisconsin

Examples of these
Types of SSRI anti-d's are : Prosac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa and
Lexapro. It is not uncommon to experiment with several types of anti-d's
until you find one or more that work for you. I have been through
the list and have personally found that Lexapro and Wellbutrin work
best for me. Typically there are side effects when taking anti-d's
that eventually wear off after a couple of weeks of use. The most
common that I personally have experienced are:

Insomnia
Lightheadedness
Headchange (a difference in the way you feel, not good nor bad)
Appetite change
Calmness
Decreased libido

All except insomnia and libido will normally disappear within a
couple of weeks. I find that the combination of Lexapro and Wellbutrin
work well together because the Wellbutrin offsets the Lexapro
as some SSRI's are scaled to be more calming to more stimulating
Wellbutrin is considered a more stimulating anti-d. This obviously
could be one of the reasons for insomnia. Additionally, this
stimulation can improve the libido which is typically contradicted
by the more calming Lexapro. The most libido exasperating drug
in my opinion, is Prosac. It is a very good and very old anti-d, but
with any good drug comes the sides. A Psychiatrist will be more
qualified to administer a regime that is best tailored to your needs.

Are Anti-Depressants Addictive?
Anti-Depressants are non-addictive. Anyone that tells you otherwise
is wrong. If someone could possibly develop addiction, it would be
mental. The side effects generated from coming off the drug are
not a result of addiction, but rather a change in the brain chemistry
and lowering of seratonin levels to what they once were. Two or more
of the following symptoms develop within 1 to 10 days of discontinuation
(except for fluoxetine in which case the symptoms must develop within 28
days because the half life is longer):

(a) dizziness or light headedness
(b) nausea and/or vomiting
(c) headaches
(d) lethargy
(e) anxiety and/or agitation
(f) tingling (parasthesias), numbness or
"electric" shock-like sensations in the head or limbs
(g) tremors
(h) sweating
(i) insomnia
(j) irritability
(k) vertigo (dizziness)
(l) diarrhea

AAS and Anti-Depressants
Searching around on the net, I did not find many articles related
to AAS and depression specifically. Here I will attempt to explain
how anti-depressants can or can not affect depression with AAS.

PCT Depression
PCT is 100% necessary by all means. There are caveats and inevitable
that go along with it though. I get tons of PM's asking about depression,
PCT and numerous other things related to depression. The most common
question is "Can I use anti-depressants during PCT?" Well, the answer
here is "yes". You can use them any time you want! The RIGHT answer,
given you have not been examined by a psychiatrist, is NO! AD's can be
used for situational depression, but I would NOT recommend starting AD's
in an attempt to prevent depression that may accompany PCT (Post Cycle
Therapy). The reason I say this is because the depression that you
experience is acute, situational and short lived. Anti-depressants are
typically used for long term treatment and situational depression brought
on by a traumatic event, etc. In my personal experience, AD's do NOT help
with depression associated with PCT and cycling in general. In my opinion,
I do not think AD's make a noticeable difference or difference at all for
depression associated with PCT. I began PCT and crashed from the cycle
while I was taking anti-depressants. There were some other factors involved,
but the point is that they did not help. Beginning AD's while on cycle is not
advised. While on AAS, I along with many others, feel really good physically,
mentally, sexually and performance wise. Why screw with that in anticipation
of PCT depression?

There is a head change that occurs when starting and when stopping
anti-depressants. It's neither good nor bad, but none the less a very
strange feeling that is created by the chemical changes within the brain
and the introduction of more seratonin. It tends to give me more of an
introverted feeling at first. Then, the effect goes away. I believe there
may be potential for lowering your libido if using a calming anti-d even
during your cycle in which testosterone levels are at their highest.

Other info
Anti-Depressants are not 17aa drugs so liver damage is not apparent
in users. Drinking with anti-depressants is not advisable what so ever.
Basically, you are contradicting the affects that the anti-depressant
drug are used for; i.e. anti-depressants are used to eliminate depression,
alcohol is a depressant.

Some AD's are subject to causing seizures if used in conjunction
with alcohol. Although the statistics are slim for an occurrence of a
seizure, the user must be made aware. There are drugs available to
the general public, by prescription and of course underground labs,
that can counter the libido affects caused by the anti-d's. Although
those drugs do not really increase libido, they can increase longevity
and performance which can inevitably lead to more pleasure that some
may consider an increase in libido. If libido is a strong consideration
for you, as most it is, then discuss ways to get around the symptom
with your doctor or explore an alternative medication.

Good luck and good training!

Note: I am not a doctor nor do I condone anything I have said in
this article. I am only speaking from fact, personal opinion and
experience. See a qualified Physician before trying ANY depression
medication as it could be life threatening if not under supervision.