My sister has skipped down her psychopharmacologist's buffet line of antidepressants a good few dozen times over the last ten years. In contrast, I have always looked for more unorthodox forms of healing through acupuncture, meditation, hand-labeled tinctures, and other holistic remedies. And until about a year ago, I was - dare I admit - very anti-antidepressants.

For those women who have never received an engagement ring, you should know that a four-carat diamond does indeed have the power to make one say Yes, even if what you really want to say is No, No, No! I knew this for fact after driving two thousand miles across the country to begin my new life with my new fiancée in Los Angeles. Our relationship had been long distance for about two years. Within three months of living together, we were sleeping in separate bedrooms.

The breakup, the move, the throwing back of the ring, the long-winded phone calls from my almost in-laws offering unsolicited advice... it was beyond overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. Eventually, I moved from his five thousand square foot house with a pool, into my sister's two hundred square foot windowless garage apartment. Little surprise, I quickly sank into a level of depression I had never before experienced. When I could no longer muster the energy to drive to my therapist's office much less get out of bed, my psychiatrist finally suggested medication. Although it was certainly not the first time a doctor recommended antidepressants, it was the first time I said yes without pause.

According to their website, "EFFEXOR XR is believed to work by affecting the levels of 2 naturally occurring chemicals in the brain - serotonin and norepinephrine. Because EFFEXOR XR works on these 2 chemicals, it is known as an SNRI, or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor." Sold by prescription only, it has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder. Of the long list of possible side effects, I experienced dry mouth, insomnia, and a not-so-small case of the tremors. Thankfully, they all ceased over the span of a few weeks. I am also happy to report that I haven't noticed any change in my oh-so-healthy libido, a common side effect of a majority of anti-depressants.

It should not go unsaid that finding the right anti-depressant is rarely this easy. Often times, a person may have to try various drugs at various doses before finding the one that works best for them and their individual brain chemistry. It's also important to note that going off heads meds is never as simple as going on them. Without a proper tapering off period, the withdrawal effects can be pretty severe: headaches, nausea, dizziness, mood swings. It's my personal opinion, however, that the more openly people talk about their experiences with depression and medication, the better prepared those suffering (and not yet medicated) will be when discussing treatment options with their health care provider.

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