antidepressants and leadership

[Drpepper]

I hold a leadership position in my ward but my doctor has just put me on antidepressants.

I have never been on them before so don't know quite what to expect and to be honest am still wondering how I ended up here. Anyway my question is for anyone who has been on antidepressants and how that may have effected their calling or not. Im wondering if i should ask for a release or just soldier through on my new found medication. Im also a little hesitant to bring it up with too many people in the ward in case i become a ward council project.

[pam]

I have never been on them so I can't speak from experience. I'm not sure I would go ahead and ask for a release when you don't know yet how they will affect you. Take it one step at a time and see how it goes.

[NeuroTypical]

Hi DrP!

My wife has been on meds since before we were married, and I know a small handful of people who take something. I was also misdiagnosed in the '90's, and prescribed something which basically made me higher than a kite.

One thing that I've learned over the years, is that different meds affect different brains in different ways. It can be a very anxiety-creating thing, but you'll have to wait and see. Some have an immediate impact, some build up over time. Some work, some don't, some make things worse. Hopefully your new med will do what you need it to. But if it doesn't, the trick is to keep the dialogue going with your doctor until it gets fixed. Not sure what your Australian experience will be - here in the US it varies widely.

Keep us posted! If you wake up one morning and notice a few weeks have gone by, that's one indication that something's not right! (Or if you wake up one morning, and just can't get over how absolutely wonderful everything is - that's another indication) :)

[Guest Doctrine]

I would do what ever is the most comfortable. Also I have been on an anxiety med for a few months and I love that I feel normal and not so stressed out.

Good luck to you and many prayers sent your way.

[TalkativeIntrovert]

I was on them for a while, but didn't have a calling at the time. I did experience a few side effects, though it could also have been the other medication.

I just made sure people at church and at work knew I was trialling new medication and asked a few I trusted to keep an eye on me. No one needed to now what I was taking or what for (though most knew, or thought they knew, anyway).

I don't think it necessary to give up a calling as you may have no negative effects at all, and sometimes side effects happen for only a week or 2 then things settle down.

Evaluate the situation as you go along.

[mnn727]

"Bishop, the doctor has me on a new medication that a possible side effect is a personality change

I don't anticipate any problems however I just wanted to make you aware due to my current calling."

This lets him know without telling him everything and you shouldn't become a WC project. If he questions what it is, say "that's personal"

[Sharky]

My 1st thought .... "Stress" can be a depression trigger for someone who is prone to depression, it can also aid in making all things worse. Leadership positions are FULL of stress!

That said and Most Importantly .....

Having a calling & other things in our life that helps "force" us into activity, more then that, helps "force" us into social interaction, is generally one of the greatest helps in battling the cycles of depression.

Sometimes though, the leadership positions & our own families also draw too much time, preventing us from being able to take the time to do those things which refresh & rejuvenate ourselves.

Possible effects of the medication changing your personality .... ummmm, the depression is already having that effect!

With the depression it is likely frequent & erratic changes, hopefully once stabilized on medications those not-so-positive & erratic changes will fade.

Personally, no one needs to know that you are on anti-depressants.

Allowing a chosen trusted friend to have that information could be beneficial by providing someone who can step in & help out when you feel or seem or appear overwhelmed. That is a personal choice.

I, personally, would let those whom you serve closest to know that you have a medical condition (it is a medical condition!) that could cause some uncertainty over the weeks & months ahead. That there might be times you need extra help or might be unable to do as much as you would like, times you might be easily overwhelmed. Let them know there might be times that you might not be your normal positive happy self, that you might show your frustration or be quicker to snap .... be sure that understand that those things are not meant to be directed at them. Ask for their understanding & if they would step in & help if they see you looking a bit frustrated or overwhelmed.

You never have to say a word about anti-depressants or depression unless you are comfortable doing so!

I extend my hope & prayers that you quickly find a medication that helps tremendously!

NEVER feel like you are less or that you have to explain because you need the help of a medication. Do not allow yourself to feel judged for a choice to take an anti-depressant medication ..... Do people question taking insulin for diabetes? Taking a medication to help with a hormone or chemical imbalance that effects your mood is no different.

I'm wondering, does the Church website "Disability Awareness" page say anything or give any suggestions about members struggling with depression? If it doesn't maybe t should, depression can be just as disabling as many many other conditions.

[kapikui]

I hold a leadership position in my ward but my doctor has just put me on antidepressants.

I have never been on them before so don't know quite what to expect and to be honest am still wondering how I ended up here. Anyway my question is for anyone who has been on antidepressants and how that may have effected their calling or not. Im wondering if i should ask for a release or just soldier through on my new found medication. Im also a little hesitant to bring it up with too many people in the ward in case i become a ward council project.

I would say it depends on the exact position and how the antidepressants affect you. Some have very little effect perceptible to someone observing you, others really mess you up. You might try explaining that you are needing to go some medication (leaving out which one) and you might need some time to figure out how it affects you.

Of course that wouldn't work with my bishop since he's also my pharmacist, and already knows what meds I'm on, but that's not exactly the norm.

[pooter1]

Ive been on prozac for over 20 years.Antidepressants make you feel better not worse.If anything you will be happier and feel more in control.I have been Primary Pres. Primary Teacher,Sunday School teacher,music leader. There is no reason to ask to be released. At least from my experience.

[Sharky]

Ive been on prozac for over 20 years.Antidepressants make you feel better not worse.If anything you will be happier and feel more in control.I have been Primary Pres. Primary Teacher,Sunday School teacher,music leader. There is no reason to ask to be released. At least from my experience.

Thank you angel333.

I'm amazed that the general consensus seems to focus on how the meds might effect the mind/personality in a negative way.

Hold On A Minute! The depression, the reason the meds were prescribed, has already negatively impacted the personality and negatively impacted the ability to function/handle day-to-day life.

The meds don't make that worse! The meds help to stabilize the mind/mood enough that that we can have a clearer mind, or that we can feel we have some control, that we can think things thru before flying off the handle or personalizing something someone says.

[Sharky]

I should add, I do understand the concept that some of the meds "can really screw you up", in a sense.

Prozac for me? I was so nervous & anxious. I couldn't think, I could not sit, I couldn't calm down. A week was all it took & the doctor changed the prescription to something else.

People definitely had to adjust after I started antidepressants. Suddenly I had an opinion & ideas & input .... I was no longer the "zombie" just quietly going with the flow of least resistance, I was suddenly an active participant because I felt better, I felt more like life & the outcome of life mattered ....

So yeah, people will see changes when one starts antidepressants. People start seeing the "real" person rather then the depressed person they "know".

[kapikui]

Thank you angel333.

I'm amazed that the general consensus seems to focus on how the meds might effect the mind/personality in a negative way.

Hold On A Minute! The depression, the reason the meds were prescribed, has already negatively impacted the personality and negatively impacted the ability to function/handle day-to-day life.

The meds don't make that worse! The meds help to stabilize the mind/mood enough that that we can have a clearer mind, or that we can feel we have some control, that we can think things thru before flying off the handle or personalizing something someone says.

You hope they do. You do have to be careful. Sometimes anti-depressants have an opposite effect. That's why you generally try a few until things start working right. Some can cause suicidal thoughts, and yes I do have some personal experience in that.

[Sharky]

You hope they do. You do have to be careful. Sometimes anti-depressants have an opposite effect. That's why you generally try a few until things start working right. Some can cause suicidal thoughts, and yes I do have some personal experience in that.

I'm not saying there aren't such cases, however, relatively speaking they are rare. I see 30 +/- such patients every day in an inpatient setting. For most (almost every) it is rarely the antidepressant itself rather some other med in combination or the addition of massive amounts of caffeine or an underlying condition, or even a misdiagnosis.

In most cases where antidepressants caused or triggered suicidal thoughts/ideations, the individual was more severely depressed then they or their doctor was aware.

As the individuals start to respond to the medications, start feeling better, start gaining energy, start caring again, suicide becomes a greater risk ..... yes a person can be too depressed to think about plan or commit suicide, flat out too depressed to care, and yes when the meds start to do their job suicide can become a greater risk.

There are also documented cases where the antidepressant combined with large quantities of caffeinated soda/coffee triggered such effects as the stimulant effects went up & then crashed down.

That is why seeking treatment, at least initially, from someone who specialized in diagnosing and treating depression and having easy ready contact with them is VERY important.

Too often it is a GP (General Practitioner) that diagnosis & treats depression & while the diagnosis & treatment might be correct, the severity of depression and the risk assessment may significantly off.

Too often the risks & side effects & dietary changes are never discussed with patients.

All the same, I do not believe of feel that it is a matter that the Bishop or others in the ward needs to be made aware of, leadership position or not!

[NeuroTypical]

I'm amazed that the general consensus seems to focus on how the meds might effect the mind/personality in a negative way.

Well yeah, if you are thirsty, you take a drink of cool water and everything's fine. No need to focus on much. If you're depressed, that's a huge spectrum of possibilities, different treatments, different medicines, that will impact you differently.

Hey, if they put you on something and you've got your level playing field back and life is fine, then hooray everyone! Just talking about what you may experience if you're not quite so lucky. Just like folks will talk about what to watch out for when learning to ride a motorcycle, or fly somewhere, or dig a root cellar, or whatever.

[Sharky]

. If you're depressed, that's a huge spectrum of possibilities

Yes. True. However, the depression itself has already changed & altered the personality, the attitude, the way a person interacts with people.

If you meet some who is depressed, you do not know the "real" person. You know the depressed person.

I believe my comment in it's entirety was EXACTLY to that point!

The depression has already changed & altered the individual. The depression has already made them unstable. The fact that they select treatment should not be the red flag, the red flag should have been raised long before!

Taking a drink when you're thirsty is not really that simple either.

Most communities across the US have 2 water systems. A pressurized water system for drinking & 2nd pressurized system for irrigation ..... drink from the wrong tap & you could get very very sick!

[Drpepper]

Ive been on the meds for a week now, so far so good, haven't really had two many side effects a little sleepy but not to bad however i feel a whole lot better about things and nothing seems to bother me too much like it use to. I feel like i can actually confidently make some decisions again where as before everything seemed to difficult for me. At first i was a little down wondering how on earth my life had gotten to a point where i know need drugs but i have gotten over that and the benefits of the meds far outweigh my fears, thought, pride, etc...

[Backroads]

My brother has ADHD, Tourette's, clinical depression, etc. He's in a leadership position. The vast majority of the ward doesn't know he's on medication. His wife just keeps an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get funny. No problems whatsoever.

I suggest you do get an ally to watch you for any changes, if you're worried.

[Sharky]

I went to LDS.org Disability Awareness & read what they have to say there about mental illness etc. (& physical disabilities since I was there).

I then searched Mormon.org, searched & read many profiles of members that struggle with depression & other illnesses.

I find it interesting, EVERYTHING I have read in those resources talks about struggling with the illness NOT the meds.

Yet this discussion here tends towards discussing the meds as being problematic, the struggle, seemingly forgetting the effects of the illness itself.

It is very important to refer back to the OP ... Should or does the OP need to talk with the Bishop? NO!

If the OP feels it might help &/or is comfortable doing so, then yes but that is a personal choice.

Starting meds or getting a medical diagnosis is not something that prevents a person from serving in the church!

In fact, on LDS.org it states to let members with disabilities serve, to allow them to play a role in determining what they are capable of doing.

So that brings us back to the OP: If Drpepper feels they are able to continue serving in the calling, then there is no reason or need to say a word as the member should be allowed to determine what they are capable of doing!

Personally, my neurological condition puts ENOUGH limits on me & they vary from day to day, even hour to hour.

I do NOT need or want those around me placing even more limits on me based on what they believe or perceive or fear.

[NeuroTypical]

I then searched Mormon.org, searched & read many profiles of members that struggle with depression & other illnesses.

I find it interesting, EVERYTHING I have read in those resources talks about struggling with the illness NOT the meds. Yet this discussion here tends towards discussing the meds as being problematic, the struggle, seemingly forgetting the effects of the illness itself.

Ok, well let me be clear then. I've seen my wife off her meds. It's like looking into a black hole from which no emotion escapes. A Nam Vet buddy of mine spent decades self-medicating with alcohol, and now with proper treatment, he and his wife are now temple workers. People have told me their stories about friends and loved ones coming off their meds and trying to jump through windows, or beating their heads into walls, or going back to their former lifestyles which end in ER visits, jails, or the morgue. My wife knows a few folks on antipsycotic medication who are grateful to function without the voices screaming horrible things in their ears every hour of every day. I'm aware of a kid or two who no longer have the compulsion to wash their hands over and over again until they're bloody and raw, due to medication. When the right medication is appropriately administered in the correct dosage by the right doctor, brain meds do more than allow people to feel happiness, they can save marriages, jobs, friends, and loved ones from a lifetime of destruction, despair, dissilusionment, dissasociation, and death.

Is this what you're looking for Sharky?

From where I'm standing, nobody in this thread is contesting the valid benefit held by medications that affect the brain. I can't speak for anyone else, but my comments are just attempts to educate about the possible side effects. I hear folks saying they've had no problems at all being prescribed something that works. I've personally had a problem. My wife had problems, and the current solution isn't perfect. I've gathered a handful of firsthand accounts from friends and family about their various rollercoaster or dark pit stories of trying to get the right blend of medication, therapy, and lifestyle before things finally clicked.

Anyone in need of brain meds should be aware of possible complications. I honestly don't see anything wrong in talking about them.

Edited September 5, 2013 by Loudmouth_Mormon

[Sharky]

Is this what you're looking for Sharky?

I believe you have misread or misunderstood what I was saying or getting at.

Many of the comment on this subject have been geared at how the meds, the antidepressant, can change a person negatively & have negative effects.

My argument has been just the opposite .... that the illness has already had negative effects yet it seems most often people (&many comments in this thread) jump at the meds or blame the meds or are scared because someone started an antidepressant.

The fact is concentrating on the possible side-effects of the antidepressant or being fearful of the antidepressant is NOT where the concern should lie, the concern should lie with the illness itself!

I do not know how to say it any more clearly then that!

I'm thru with this thread.

I had this very discussion with a family today ... fearful of the medications & their "possible" side effects. I could not get the parents to look at the realities of the illness & what that illness had already done to their son, rather all they were concentrating on was "so & so says .... about this medication" & "we heard .... about that medication" & they are so fearful about the claims of what the meds could do that they would rather see their son institutionalized the rest of his life!

Institutionalized their son rather then place their son on an antidepressant because of fear of what a medication could cause .....

Edited September 5, 2013 by Sharky