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I Have Bipolar Depression - Should I Take an Antidepressant?
I Have Bipolar Depression - Should I Take an Antidepressant?
Would you like the short answer or the long answer? In short, if you have bipolar disorder, no, you shouldn't be taking an antidepressant - even if you're depressed - in many, if not most, cases. The long answer is, naturally, more complicated.
My personal experience doesn't match up with this article. Aside from my recent struggles with oxycodone addiction, right now I feel the most stable I've felt in a long time on one of the newer antidepressants, Viibryd (vilazodone), which I've been taking for about 7 or 8 months now.
Also, I feel like over my 11 years of bipolar diagnosis so far, antidepressants were always prescribed to me, by so many of the psychiatrists I've seen. I've been on a lot of the antipsychotics and anticonvulsants too, Abilify was the worst for me. None of them seemed to help me at all. None of the other antidepressants seemed to help either. Viibryd is kind of feeling like a breath of fresh air to me, even if things are still tough, but this medication at least seems to be doing something for me.
How do you guys feel about this article? Are you taking any antidepressants, and if so, which ones? Do you take antipsychotics or anticonvulsants? Is treating bipolar disorder simply just throwing a bowl of spaghetti at the wall and seeing which noodles hold up best?




So I'm bipolar II and I take Latuda (but I was on Geodon for years). I also take Wellbutrin, because I have a lot of symptoms of depression, and I asked to be put on something. I think the anti-depressant has work in a few ways, but in no way has it cured my depression, or even made a dent in it.
I am very interested in this Viibryd you are taking. Are you taking it alone or with an antipsychotic? More recently I have felt that the Wellbutrin is just not doing it and I'd like to change. Could you talk more about your experiences with it? I might talk to my pdoc about it soon. Thanks for your post.
So sorry this reply is so late!! I am only taking Viibryd, I'm not taking any antipsychotics or any other psych meds. I tried Wellbutrin as well (one of many, many medications) and it didn't work for me, then I switched to Viibryd and this medication seems to really be helpful for me, I feel like I am more like "myself," able to make scary phone calls and talk to people, and I don't feel suicidal or wanting to self harm. Things aren't perfect yet of course, if they ever will be, but in combination with one on one therapy and group therapy, I really feel that Viibryd is a good medication for me. If you're still looking to talk to your pdoc about it, maybe you should, but I do have to warn you that it is an expensive medication since there's no generic yet, but you can't really put a price on mental health can you? (The drug companies sure try though.) I have the manufacturer discount card so make sure to get that too https://www.viibryd.com/savings-program if you are prescribed it. I hope you're doing well!
I got Citalopram (SSRI) when I was first treated for depression and it ended in a mixed episode with high energy and a high level of self harm. But I heared in combination with other medication it can work quite well (I have bipolar NOS, currently not on medication)