This Woman Has a Message for Anyone Who Thinks Antidepressants Are Scary

Katie runs a blog called Lovely in the Dark, where she talks about motherhood, relationships and her faith. She also lives with anxiety and depression, and last month posted a selfie that has since been shared almost 13,000 times, featuring her holding what she calls the “the biggest weapon I have” in life with depression and anxiety.

“See this little blue pill I am holding, It’s my lifeline,” she wrote, referring to her antidepressant. “No, this is not a cure all pill. But it is the biggest weapon I have in fighting.”

On Friday, the post was picked up by Love What Matters.

 

Antidepressants aren’t right for everyone who struggles with depression and anxiety. For some, the side effects they induce are worse than the depression and anxiety itself. But for those who do find relief by taking antidepressants, they should not be ashamed. Katie explained:

This pill isn’t scary. It didn’t change me. No. It brought me back. It stopped allowing depression to run my life. For so long, I was feeling so many different, irrational things. Nothing made sense. Actions I was doing. Thoughts I was thinking. Personality traits that didn’t fit who I am.

This is me. Katie. A strong, brave, bold, woman, mother, sister, daughter, friend.

Recently, actor Wil Wheaton shared a metaphor explaining how antidepressants work for him. He said they let him see the exits in the dark room that is depression.

I realized I had been living my whole life inside a really loud, dark room. Seeing a doctor and taking medication allowed me to see the exits from that room, and being treated allowed me to walk through that door and get out of that loud room.

Katie told The Mighty she was motivated to post the selfie after a friend said she admired how open she was about taking medication. She realized not everyone felt they could be open about their experiences.

“They think taking a pill is weak and giving in. I wanted to show others that by my taking a medication I am now able to live. I am more myself every day,” she said. “My hope for others is they read this and find the courage to accept the help they need. To be brave for themselves. To know they are not alone.”

You can read Katie’s full message here.