Study Shows that AD's Change Personality For the Better

[LindaNoggin]

http://www.livescience.com/health/091207-antidepressant-personality.html

Let me know what you think about this article.

IMO, I think that maybe AD's could someday offer a permanent change in personality and perhaps people don't need to take them forever. I'm probably wrong though.

[beetle]

http://www.livescience.com/health/091207-antidepressant-personality.html

Let me know what you think about this article.

IMO, I think that maybe AD's could someday offer a permanent change in personality and perhaps people don't need to take them forever. I'm probably wrong though.

This is the fine line that I always keep in mind when thinking of the effects of pysch meds. Are they really changing our personality? Or are they simply relieving the symptoms that have hampered a personality that was there all along but was mired down in depressive symptoms.

I don't think an SSRI is gonna make a naturally inclined introvert into a bubbly exuberant extrovert. At least it didn't happen that way for me. But it's true that successful treatment with an SSRI could make one more social by relieving anxiety. And while that person might be more outgoing and social I think by nature they remain an introvert if that is their true nature.

Now if it's social anxiety and depression that's crushing someone who is naturally an extrovert and those symptoms are mitigated with meds then of course it would look like that person went from being introverted to extroverted but in reality the extroversion was there all along, hidden under the psychiatric symptoms.

I don't really believe that meds change our personality. But the relief of symptoms can sure make it look that way.

edited:

And upon further reading of the article it would seem that my opinion is in direct conflict with the findings of the study. But I still don't believe that meds change our personality. I think they relieve symptoms.

[pinkiemarie]

Interesting article, although some of it is old news--for example the part about using SSRIs to treat anxiety. That's common practice.

[cairn]

This was covered somewhat in Kramer's mid-90's Listening to Prozac, where he discusses SSRI's as "mood brighteners" and peoples' experiences with them as enhancing their personality.

It's a touchy topic for some people who see antidepressants as evil in any form.

[engravedshadow]

i would think that it can change your personality...but only to a point. i don't think it can completley change certain qualities about you. at least i wouldn't like to think so.