Underappreciated is that depression makes exercise, eating well and sleeping well impossible. You need to feel a minimum baseline of well in order to have the energy and motivation to cook healthy foods instead of eating ingredients straight out of the fridge. You need a minimum baseline of feeling well in order to be able to get off the couch and do any amount of exercise in the first place. Depressed people can be literally screaming internally at themselves to get up and do anything but feel completely paralyzed to actually do it.

Thank you for making this video🙏You're truly helping break the stigma surrounding mental illness. I appreciate how you talk and explain things naturally to us as if you're our big sister😊

In my experience, I saw very rapid results with Lexapro for anxiety. It took about two weeks to see a palpable difference. I think what took a month was getting used to the more relaxed headspace, using that freedom to mentally untangle the stuff that was bothering me, then being impressed when I would put issues to bed and they would stay there. I did need to play with the dosage, but only once (40mg seems to be the sweet spot for me).

Man $60 sounds cost efficient compared to what I have paid. Like $90-$140 so I am glad I’ll finally get insurance that will hopefully cover insurance. Thank you for being so informative, transparent, and relatable. I really appreciate your channel! Just started Zoloft yesterday for my anxiety and glad to hear it can help with depression too. It’s been great listening to your personal and medical opinion on this medication. ❤❤❤ Thank you for your help!!

I love your loving approach to patients. That’s the type of NP I want to be, one more year, almost there. Thanks for the class on teaching about these meds to patients. You are amazing 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💕💕💕

Just started it after being super resistant to antidepressants. I have never taken any but getting desperate after dealing with depression my whole life but it got really bad. Really hoping it helps. 🤞🏽

I found your video quite entertaining to watch, even though it's regarding a depressing subject. I was not told, but I was aware of the side effects of SSRI meds. Sertraline made me so suicidal, and sadly I acted on the thoughts with seconds left to realise I was doing something wrong to myself. I immediately came off that medication and started with Venafolaxing. 4 months later, the side effects were still every morning vomiting after 30 min. Constantly sweating to the point I look uncomfortable. Dizziness, brain zaps even to the point my sexual performance was zero but randomly after a morning pee semen was present hands-free. I'm still amazed by that ability. I have just started taking trazodone with every finger crossed for success to help treat Social anxiety since Covid. Withdrawals from coming off the medication are dizziness with vertigo and struggling to focus with a sharp electric shock feeling. I watched this video with content because you explained it in so much detail.

You said it so well. I am more anxious than I was when I called my doctor on Friday to ask for some help with anxiety after being told my partner is terminally ill less than 2 weeks ago. I have the added ones of gut issues. I already have IBS and this has made it worse. The nausea and loss of appetite are the icing on the cake. Especially as I had lost so much weight over the last few months dealing with a partner who I thought had severe depression, which turned out to be a terminal brain tumour

My journey has been lengthy. And I have changed main meds. And supplemental meds....but I can function! It's good to break the stigma. Don't be afraid to ask your PCP and/or therapist if you think your meds are starting to not work. Big hugs to all out there.

Great content. Glad I found you. I am 70 and have been dealing with Parkinson’s Disease for 15 years. The non-motor symptoms include depression, anxiety and apathy - all thanks to a lack of dopamine. I HATE taking meds and have gone from 7 prescriptions to 2. Now, however, I have started taking Zoloft due to the deep and debilitating depression that comes with PD. I have appreciated your information and the way you present it.

I love watching your videos they are so comfyyy, thank you for educatingggggggggg us

I would never tell a patient as a nurse , get up,I wassick layi.g down on her table , and was going to get up as soon as she came in , then she.mediately said I worked when I didn't feel good she know nothi.g about me ! Need more like you

Thanks so much for this super helpful and encouraging video. Your patients are super lucky to have you!

Psychedelics definitely have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression , I would like to try them again but it's just so hard to source here

Thank you for posting this. Great information- wish I had this 20 years ago. And thank you for normalizing long term use.

Thanks for covering this Liz. Lots of confusion with treatments and modalities. 🙏💞

Your constant reassurance really helped me

You helped me a lot with the decision to start anxiety medication after years of being reluctant. I am now on a journey with Zoloft, no results yet because my doctor started me off with 25mg due to an awful experience with Lexapro! Now on 50mg and will soon jump to 100mg in a few weeks. Thank you for this video it was amazing! 🥰

It’s also important to remember that these antidepressants can trigger mania in patients with bipolar disorder, and you should be sure to screen for that before prescribing an SSRI or SNRI to a patient.

First of all I'm 71, work out, walk everywhere, good blood pressure etc. My ENT prescribed Venlafaxine 37.5 mg for my Vestibular Migraine that came out of nowhere. He said take it for 2 weeks. I took one at 10am and by Noon my Vertigo was 80% gone. I thought cool.. 2am the next morning I woke up with a blinding headache, and I don't get headaches. But I did read on Web MD you might want to watch your Blood Pressure if you take this. So I decided to take my Blood pressure. 196/121. Yeah off to the Emergency room I went. I realize different medications can work differently in different people.. Just a Heads up.

The stigma around mental health and medication is so frustrating- as someone who has experience personally and as someone who has to speak with patients on a daily basis about how they feel. I try to make it clear, its simply the way your brain functions. Theres no right or wrong. If we can help it, why wouldnt we? If someone is a diabetic and needs insulin- we wouldnt think twice.

Started Lexapro four years ago. Was on 10mg. Made me so sleepy. Was tired all the time for several weeks. Dropped to 5 mg. This made things worse. Went back to 10 mg. Things finally got better. However, I was not able to feel any excitement or laugh anymore. Emotional blunting took over my life. My FNP then added 20mg duloxetine. This seemed to help. Very helpful video. Thank you.

Thank yiu for the information, i just got introduced to snris and i was reading the jargon on the internet and it was very confusing. I greatly appreciate the explanation! Now i feel more equipped to talk to my doctor. Thank you!

I've been through alot the last few months, but one thing I can definitely relate to this video is that I tried Lexapro with my doctor, first having the sexual dysfunction and some insomnia and headaches, and when he suggested to up the dosage since it wasn't a huge depression improvement, I completely felt the 1% suicidal and stopped immediately. Since then, we haven't brought it back up or tried other options... Now looking to find a therapist, but no one seems interested to take new patients right now. Very frustrating.

The health care industry loves abbreviations and acronyms. I'm using them less to avoid confusion

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I feel ready to take them now.

Super interesting information, you covered so much in this video! Thank you!

YOU ARE BRILLIANT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO. YES THERE IS STILL A STIGMA AROUND ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION BUT I THINK IT IS A GENERATIONAL THING BECAUSE MY CHILDREN DONT HAVE THE SAME THOUGHTS AROUND THIS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE VIDEO. BROOK

You're amazing. Thanks for sharing. This helped me a lot.

Lots of info. Very encouraging, especially the analogy of the pants. It takes time to find the right thing sometimes, but it's good to know there's something out there that will help.

I just started sertraline (thanks to your video I felt more comfortable taking that first pill) a week ago and my side effects are mild but there. I feel myself getting better already but I’m worried about the sexual dysfunction part. 😔

Best video I've seen about the topic.

Thank you for all this wonderful information!

I’m just praying every day for the right medications or the correct diagnosis. I am currently taking Celexa and it has helped my heart rate but I’m never happy and never looking forward to things. My sexual drive sucks and I don’t eat normally. Somedays I can’t get out of bed and other days I’m fine. I’m starting a new job this summer and I’m already stressing about it. I just wanna be happy again and look forward to things! I will not let whatever illness I have defeat me and either will you. Keep bugging your doctors until they get you on the right meds or right therapy. Make sure to see a psychologist if you haven’t! Stay strong and continue on with your life happy and healthy. MENTAL ILLNESS SUCKS!!!!

I've recently started Pristiq and so far I'm feeling better.

I have panic disorder, for about twenty years now, all ssri, and snris cause me to have heart palps, as I have afib/svt. I also take tenormin for that. Xanax keeps the panic away. I really do not feel like these drugs are for everybody. Esp if you have heart issues. Thoughts? Oh I do not suffer from depression, only panic.

Very informative, calms me down to know more about how the medicine works. Thanks

My experience with snri’s and ssri’s has been night and day. I started with duloxetine and it got rid of my anxiety which sounds good but instead of having anxiety I simply stopped caring about anything and everything. I could barely function, I ended up rotting on the couch for 3 weeks and I started to get suicidal thoughts which I’ve never had before taking the meds. So after a month I stopped taking them and I was scared of starting any other meds so I stayed away from them for around 5 months. In the new year I started sertraline which has been life changing for me! It works really good with my Vyvanse and it actually makes me feel more energized and focused. Just wanted to share my experience with people so others could know that there is a medication out there for them and not to give up after a bad experience :)

I need to find a PCP like you. My PCP in my old state told me none of this, with the exception of the full stop on suicidal ideation. She seemed well meaning but I would have liked a lot more information especially since I've had such a rough go since then. I'd like to get back on something but I need to find a PCP in my new state with no insurance. I tried the Kroger little clinic but she did not seem well educated on it and was very pushy that I need a PCP. Made the whole thing very awkward, and caused me not to renew my prescription.

thinking of going on antidepressants, thank you, this was helpful and comforting

You are heaven sent. Thank you for this video.

We now know it is not a chemical "imbalance" but rather a much more complex condition. I've suffered from childhood trauma and consequently severe anxiety since I was in my teens. My parents died when I was in my late 20s and I did not get myself treated for that loss and additional trauma. I have since developed severe depression and pretty much sabotaged my life. I have thoughts of suicide for quite some time now after years of therapy and realizing just how badly I managed to mess up my life. Pretty much manifesting into reality my fears and anxieties I had in the past. It is utterly terrifying and unbearable. Psilocybin is being researched as a new tool in treating depression and current research is showing promising results without the side effects of SSRIs (sexual especially) Serotonin are receptors are everywhere including your gut which is why antidepressants tend to lead to weight gain (which can be a positive side effect in some cases) PSSD is also been reported which is rather disturbing which comes to SSRIs

Very informative! Thanks!

brilliant explanation and very reassuring!

This was so helpful! I was just prescribed Prozac today and I am so nervous about starting. I feel better knowing, though, that there are other options in case this doesn’t work. Loved this video. ❤️

Useful video thank you for posting

I am switching from 8 years in the ED to Primary Care as my kids are getting older and I want to be home more, I have been following you for years and recently I am really enjoying your content. Also, #zoloft4lyfe

Thank you. Most important question remains --what is the difference between SSRI and SNRI? Which is more effective.

SSRI's and I do not work well together.

Amazing explainer video!

Who needs SSRI’s when you have that intro music😉

I love your channel. I am looking into medication again after some not so great experiences with medicine before. I am, unfortunately, the small percentage that had suicidal ideation on one of the medications I tried. I am wondering now, though, if one gave me suicidal ideation, am I at higher risk for others causing it as well? This experience is what’s holding me back a bit. Thank you for all the info you’ve provided in your videos.

Thank you

The mindfulness book "30 Days to Reduce Depression" by Harper Daniels has good meditation exercises to practice.

Therapy is the preferred primary treatment in behavior and mood disorders, while medications are simply adjunctive therapy in their own rights. Meds treat the symptoms, therapy treats the cause. Many providers are willing to write a script without therapy, which can (not saying will) have no efficacy or worse, be harmful.

Escitalopram made me so dizzy and hungry for 3 days straight that I couldn't sleep(would wake up in a panic feeling hungry sweating racing heart fatigue). So yeah, waiting for 4 weeks with that side effects is out of the question

it will be good to post how to get of ssri.most of us know about this.

Would you recommend Xanax for the first Month or so to help w side of effects of anxiety ?

Lmao "I need to fight a bear" 😤

All I know is that I would rather DIE than take the horrific effexor (SNRI)EVER again ,I will stick with my Lexapro .I am literally scared of the word SNRI,I despise them

thank you for the information! it was hard for me to accept that I needed a medication cause I thought it was the easy way out even though my life has been hell without Zoloft. I abused drugs for my depression and anxiety and ptsd and never ever though oh maybe I need an SSRI instead of abusing drugs! Makes me so mad I couldnt link 2 and 2 together lol im 28 btw. took me 16 yrs to acccept and realize this.

Just one question. What is the difference between ssri and snri? Why do some doctors prefer snri to ssri?

It was so positive….thanx alot❤️

Terrific!!!!! Thank u!!!!!!

No one discussing these meds have mentioned the weight gain associated with taking them. I gained 80 lbs immediately after starting Zoloft. It made me feel fabulous, but I was gaining so fast I felt like something had possessed my body. My once lovely slender body is now dangerously obese (Im over 125 lbs more than I used to be and Im also much older) and I cant do anything about it.😭😢

What do you prescribe to reduce/eliminate SSRI/SNRI Induced bruxism? I developed TMJ dysfunction from Wellbutrin as well as severe anxiety then tried Lexapro and it caused me to start clenching my jaw day and night and worsened my TMJ (headaches and facial tension)... stopped Lexapro and the grinding/clinching went away in few weeks but I still have the horrible anxiety from Wellbutrin 😕

I am in my 3ard week of meds and you are so right my anxiety is way worse And I am so sick to my stomach every morning

Excellent video!

Can you make a video for the head to toe assessment for FNP students displaying what we need to look for

I have autism ، severe ADHD، major depression for years ، social anxiety and bulimia I tried serteralin before, but it's not so much effective for me. Please help me, to choose between Escitalopram and venlafaxine, sorry for my bad English 🙏🏻

Feeling hot, like burning inside side effect. Please explain to us that also some people feeling some weird kind of pain like anxious pain inside? Energy pain? While starting antidepressants

I am from Bangladesh and i have been suffering from anxiety for over 4 years. I have consulted around 8 doctor. They are all such a asshole. They never suggest me not stoping this medication keep taking this medication .When i used to take these medication ,i used to have some side effects, thats why i stopped medications. Now i get to know the real truth.. Thanks is not enough for you mam

Wow free education love it 💯

I have horrid anxiety and OCD and no SSRIS were working. Took the genesight test and turns out I don’t metabolize them well. Yay just my luck 😢

Amazing video

Just started on sertraline yIesterday I suffer from PVC skipbeats and now after reading about the side effects that can cause Arithmia I am scared to continue taking it and I truly need it

I'm not an expert either, but I believe that serotonin/neurotransmitter reuptake wasn't explained properly within this video (specifically around 11:00). SSRI's are supposed to decrease the neurotransmitters that are reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron (the one that releases the neurotransmitter) instead of blocking the receiving end of the transmission. Hence why it's called "reuptake inhibitor" (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) not just "uptake inhibitor". TLDR: SSRI's effects the presynaptic neuron, not the postsynaptic neuron Please pin this comment or edit the information within the video, as newer psychology students or psychology enthusiasts may be misinformed.

Thank you so so very much you are adorable ❤ I want to ask you what about people who just took 2.5 mg of Lexapro and they feel super anxious on it like some anxious pain?

Thanks for making this video! I just started taking sertraline, but now as I am beginning to hangout with friends again I'm concerned about drinking alcohol while I'm on the medication. I'm only taking 25mg, so I don't know if that means I can let myself drink a small amount or if any is off limits. I'm concerned that I have to make big changes to my social life if the latter is the case.

great video overall! but the mechanism of action behind SSRI was not accurate. The medication blocks the reuptake protein on the first neuron leaving more serotonin in the synapse to cross over the second neuron (we want more serotonin to pass to the second neuron) Thanks

Been on it 23 days now just put up my 3 month script 10mg

I started to feel better as soon as I started taking sertraline but after two weeks I started to feel bad again. Any ideas why? I’m kinda disappointed

I started taking Prozac a and a half ago and I feel worse. I was also giving trazadone to help me sleep but it's not working.

I'm here in Canada, salary in nursing in the US is much higher than here however being healthcare in Canada is a lot cheaper and even sometimes free. I wish the US will be able to solve this free healthcare for all. Truly, healthcare should be a basic right of any individial no matter if they are rich or poor.

Hi Liz, I am on sertraline 150 mg. What is the vitamin I should take with this SSRI. Are these SSRI's make us drowsy and by that we forget our depression? Please educate me. Thank you

I’m only 3 days in on 25 mg sertraline and last night I had blurred vision while driving (it went away) and today I had lightheadedness during clinical (my clinical instructor thinks I had a panic attack because when I was describing what happened she said it more sounded like that) and I almost fainted. Then I felt lightheaded throughout the day and drowsy and dizzy. I’m am scared to take my next dose, and I don’t think I will be.

Hi Liz, thank you for the video! My doctor just prescribed me Lexapro, but I’m too scared of weight gain. The anxiety just be with me for a very long time...I do feel I need some help from meds. Is it safe to take meds for lifelong time, or does it shorten the life expectancy? Thank you!

My doctr prescribed Desvenlafaxine 100mg and vortioxetine 20mg together....could you suggest is this a safe combination to treat MDD with Anxiety

So I started effexor or anxiety and depression today low dose 75mg. I took it with food and tried not to overthink it but right away I started to feel weird like my Body felt werid then I felt like exhausted then it felt like my head was thinking and all over the place. Then I felt spacey and jittery and feeling like a adrenaline rush. They it was hard to concentrate and I had a huge wave of emotion and cried and then I sort of calmed down and now im calm just mt anxiety feelings like it's racing

I have intrusive or racing thoughts about my ex/bestfriend nearly all day everyday. either its a memory, her voice, or thinking about her coming round the corner for example or just anything really, waking up and shes already on my mind like the thought of her name. I don't pay attention to the thoughts as I know it can just make them worse and more frequent. I see a therapist and I meditate everyday once in the morning and once at night. I've also been on antidepressants for a month now for my anxiety/depression. I don't do any compulsions to make these thoughts appear or dissappear i just let the thoughts be. Any idea what this is. Is it related to my anxiety or depression? Has anyone taken antidepressants and its helped their intrusive/racing thoughts? I know it can take from 6 to 8 weeks for the meds to kick In

Ive been prescribed Zoloft and I was wondering if the withdrawal symptoms were something I should be concerned about?

I don't really get this line about "it's not your fault, it's just a chemical imbalance". Well, yeah, it's an imbalance, but isn't that a direct consequence of pure decision making about your lifestyle and perception of events? Aren't people who practice positive thinking and healthy lifestyle less prone to such imbalances? I take sertraline to treat anxiety too, but I believe that I am entirely responsible for that. I tend to think negatively, I am rarely active physically, my typical week is poor in new impressions, my circle of aquaintances is pretty narrow... Besides, CBT also promotes the idea that we, as adults, are 100% responsible for ourselves in present moment... Would be glad to get a response :)

I was prescribed venlafaxine today for my anxiety. I pick up my meds tomorrow and nervous about starting them. I'm seeing good and bad things said so I'm definitely overthinking already

Has anyone taken Lexapro for years and suddenly got panic attacks for days. Now switching to zoloft. Been on 150 for a week and still having some palpitations. Insomnia and stomach pain not as bad though. Anyone had similar issues??

I started taking wellbutrin for adhd & depression after a not great experience with lexapro, I’m feeling like I might need to get on medication to manage anxiety but am worried I’m going to have the same bad reactions to another ssri- is that a thing? or am i just worrying too much? 😅

I was on Lexapro on and off for about 2 years. I stopped taking it last October and around November I started having strong anxiety symptoms again. My insomnia got worst and the anxiety symptoms feel stronger than ever before. Even other strong emotions feel bad on my body. For example, excitement or really happy moments make me feel sick and anxious. When I started taking lexapro my anxiety wasn’t as bad. My insomnia certainly wasn’t as bad. Can you help explain what is going on? I’m thinking of taking medication again because I’m at a breaking point but not sure if I should try a different SSRI?

It sux that the awful side effects can start right away but the good part takes weeks.

Liz some of the SSRI lower heart rate. Is that a side effect you have seen go away over time?

I discovered a new way to make Zoloft have impact in same day !

If patients already experienced passive suicidal ideation and urges to self-harm, do they need to stop the medication if they experience the same thing on SSRI's? I mean, that's what the medication is there for right? To make living with the depression a bit easier.