Do antidepressants even work?
This class of drugs is very diverse and tricky... because the chemistry involved with people varies so dramatically and so complex from person to person, it often involves many trials and errors before the right drug is found. I've never been too much of a fan of SSRI's, I think Wellbutrin and other antidepressants that are not SSRI's are a better choice esp. if you are not seizure prone, or things like gabapentin if your depression is long term but mild. But yeah with the stuff you mention, its like rocket science practically to get the right combo. That is not to say theyre bad drugs, my mom has been on zoloft for YEARS and its been a lifesaver for her fibromyalgia... but everyone is so different that the results are unpredictable.
What are your opinions on anti-depressants?
well if you've had frequent bouts of depressive episodes you'd be a good candidate for an anti-depressant medication, but seeing as you've never tried any help at all including therapy then i'd assume whenever you see a psychologist they would try a course of therapy first and they would see if you improve with that. i couldnt say how long the psychologist will wait to see if you need a medication. it took my psychologist baout 4 or 5 weeks from seeing my first to introduce me to a psychiatrist to start an anti-depressant. if you where offered something it would totally be up to you to do it, but always think about it for as long as you need to. and side effects depend on the actually medication, i will say there are a lot of dangerous side effects but these are usually rare. and there are some common side effects you may not like, a very common one is a sexual dysfunction (usually it's an inability to ejaculate but can also be problems with getting and maintaining erections). and there usually a lot of common side effects that go away after some time. and dont assume you're going on an anti-depressant just because you feel you have depression, even though it's all you hear these days, but doctors do not hand out prescirptions for anti depressant and anxiety medication like church pamphlets. theres a lot of different conditions out there that look like depression and should be treated with an anti-depressant. hope this helped.
Are Antidepressants a PDQ for USMC OCS?
Antidepressants themselves are not a DQ, but you must show that you've been off them for a least a year, and that a doctor monitored you when you went off them. Of course, yours was so long ago that you won't need as much paperwork on the weaning process as I do. FYI, I took a low dose of Paxil for 8 years because I had some mild anxiety after having a baby, and just never went off them. As of January I'll be able to apply for a waiver (that'll be my one official year), and it's expected (NOT guaranteed, just expected) that I'm an excellent candidate for the waiver. Now, the REASONS you took the meds can be a problem. If there was a suicide attempt, cutting, anger management problems etc, then things get trickier. But if you just had some mild, manageable, short-term depression (not unusual for a teenager), then you'll also be an excellent candidate for a waiver (again, not guaranteed, but probable) if you qualify in other areas. As for declaring them...the RULES are that you HAVE to declare them, and can get booted for lying (they'll specifically ask if you've ever taken them, and lying is against the rules). On the other hand, they might not find out, so it's really up to you. Personally, if you're well-qualified in other ways, and don't require a hundred other waivers for crimes and health issues, then I'd declare it, absolutely, since it will most likely not keep you from getting in. Good luck to you! PS: Wayne C needs some Valium... And while he might be annoyed that someone who has not served is putting in her two cents, I find it annoying that someone who knows nothing about anxiety and/or depression thinks they're qualified to say anything about it. Not everyone who has ever taken medication is a life-long whackjob. To answer the original question ONCE AGAIN, no, having taken meds will probably not keep you out of officer training, whether Wayne likes it or not. Good luck to you!!! :-)