Replying as someone with diagnosed depression (“Major Depressive Disorder”, isn’t as bad as it sounds) which apparently first started in teenage years
For me “talk therapy” (such as CBT) has never been ineffective, but not effective to the extent that I considered my depression “managed” so to speak. I’d always have negative thoughts, bad feelings, etc… I was reading The Feeling Good Handbook and became open to the idea of medication, so I was put into contact with a psychiatrist a few years ago who decided to put me on a very low dose antidepressant (10mg fluoxetine/Prozac per day), later upped the dose (20 mg/day, still low)
A week or so after being put on antidepressants (a very low dose, mind you), a large part of my depressive symptoms just… went away. I’m no way near being “constantly happy” or anything; it’s just that the depressive thoughts left. And it was significant enough because I don’t think I’ve ever achieved that with talk therapy
There was an extended period a year and a half ago when I stopped medication due to relocation, and depression came back after like a month or so, but it could have been compounded by the fact that I got a bone fracture back then & was not in a good mood in general… but the symptoms went away again after a week or more of me restarting medication. I stopped medication again 3-4 months ago for another relocation, and depression hasn’t come back for me yet
My understanding is that antidepressants, depending on the type, alters the body chemistry… so depending on where someone’s depression comes from, antidepressants is sometimes the most effective treatment out there (for many others, talk therapy is the most effective). Since it appears that my source of depression is due to losing the genetic lottery, antidepressants probably was the perfect solution. But realistically psychology/neuroscience don’t have enough research funding despite how important and interesting they are, so we don’t actually know that much regarding how antidepressants work… just that they work quite well for some people
And to answer your question: no not really. It just “treats” depression and is not always effective. Happiness seems like something very much separate, but can probably be induced by certain controlled substances (which are highly addictive and bad for you)
Replying as someone with diagnosed depression (“Major Depressive Disorder”, isn’t as bad as it sounds) which apparently first started in teenage years
For me “talk therapy” (such as CBT) has never been ineffective, but not effective to the extent that I considered my depression “managed” so to speak. I’d always have negative thoughts, bad feelings, etc… I was reading The Feeling Good Handbook and became open to the idea of medication, so I was put into contact with a psychiatrist a few years ago who decided to put me on a very low dose antidepressant (10mg fluoxetine/Prozac per day), later upped the dose (20 mg/day, still low)
A week or so after being put on antidepressants (a very low dose, mind you), a large part of my depressive symptoms just… went away. I’m no way near being “constantly happy” or anything; it’s just that the depressive thoughts left. And it was significant enough because I don’t think I’ve ever achieved that with talk therapy
There was an extended period a year and a half ago when I stopped medication due to relocation, and depression came back after like a month or so, but it could have been compounded by the fact that I got a bone fracture back then & was not in a good mood in general… but the symptoms went away again after a week or more of me restarting medication. I stopped medication again 3-4 months ago for another relocation, and depression hasn’t come back for me yet
My understanding is that antidepressants, depending on the type, alters the body chemistry… so depending on where someone’s depression comes from, antidepressants is sometimes the most effective treatment out there (for many others, talk therapy is the most effective). Since it appears that my source of depression is due to losing the genetic lottery, antidepressants probably was the perfect solution. But realistically psychology/neuroscience don’t have enough research funding despite how important and interesting they are, so we don’t actually know that much regarding how antidepressants work… just that they work quite well for some people
And to answer your question: no not really. It just “treats” depression and is not always effective. Happiness seems like something very much separate, but can probably be induced by certain controlled substances (which are highly addictive and bad for you)