Opioids Opioids as antidepressants?

[sacsky]

Question for all who are into opioids.
I heard that in the past opioids were used against depression.
If this is so, why not anymore? Are they too addictive or are the side effects too big?
Would it be possible to stabilize a depressed patient on a certain dose which then works long term against depression
or would the patient require more and more of it and then get totally fucked up?

If opioids could indeed be used when other antidepressants have failed, then what opioids would be suited best?

 

[Trying2Iso]

buprenorphine is being investigated as a possible treatment for depression IN CASES where safer, less addictive treatments have failed.
I'm a perfect example of how that could go wrong, as i could not possibly take home a bupe script without abusing it.
For it to work i'd have to have to go to the pharmacy daily to get my dose, and they'd have to watch me take it to make sure i wasn't saving them at home for when i had enough to get high

 

[David Wooderson]

I think that the use of subs/bupe for depression would be an utter mess. I think its being investigated so they can make more tens of billions, and finally get their life long customers. Now that this country woke up and realized that ppl shouldn't be on subs/bupe 4 life...

I never heard of prescribing opiates/opiods for depression.

Ever wonder why people use heroin?

When you start using opiates to help/kill emotional pain, you have just then crossed THE line that is known as addiction. 99% of what hooks people is that they stop using pain killing amounts and start using emotional pain killing doses. I found tramadol much more effective as an antidepressant than any nsaid or other psych med. I found it to be a better antidepressant than a pain killer.

I can't stress this enough when you start using opiates to cope, you're fucked.
I'm sure many people on this forum can attest to that.
You only get high for so long, then its to cope.

 

[sacsky]

So the issue is people will automatically start abusing them? What if you don't and simply stick to a working dose?

 

[David Wooderson]

So the issue is people will automatically start abusing them? What if you don't and simply stick to a working dose?

Without a doubt. Everyone eventually becomes dependent, 100% if you're using it for emotional pain. You will need to increase your amounts for it to "work".
Plus opiates cause a downward spiral in that if you have chronic pain, that pain gets worse, if you have emotional problems you will wish you hadn't started.
I'm sorry but ALL opiates are eventually equally the same, you can skate for a minute with the weaker pills, but you pay the SAME price as a heroin addict.
Plus unless you are on it for life, you will eventually need to be taken off of it, which will cause EXTREME depression and ruin any good it has done in the very brief time.
I am over a week into being clean from subs after being on it for 7 years, my "depression", now, makes whatever I felt when I was a teen taking antidepressants look like a scrape.

Does it work? Yes, but its a very, very short term gain for a black-hole of a problem.

 

[sacsky]

Ok thanks for the warning. Then this is clearly not an option.

But antidepressants also suck. They are a joke. I can't even take this shit serious anymore.

One of my psychiatrists already dumped me, this asshole. I mean if antidepressants don't work then what do you do?
It's unbelievable that these damn doctors simply dump you when nothing works. This shows that they don't care about you personally at all.

 

[LSDMDMA&AMP]

Opiates as antidepressants is a terrible idea.
amphetamine/methamphetamine as an antidepressant is a far better idea, and even that is a horrendous idea.
Antidepressants arent supposed to do anything more than keep you from being noticably depressed, not give you a noticable mood lift.

 

[pinpoint]

The current state of AD's for those with major depressive disorder is a joke. I believe the future lies in biologics & peptides. There are other monoamines to target outside serotonin & norepinephrine. Opioid receptors are not one of them. They lose their efficacy much too fast not to mention the tolerance and resulting physical dependence.

 

[sacsky]

But I need a damn mood lift! Being 50% less depressed doesn't help me. I am sick of being depressed and melancholic all the time.
I'd rather not feel anything than be depressed.

 

[Seattle_Stranger]

But I need a damn mood lift! Being 50% less depressed doesn't help me. I am sick of being depressed and melancholic all the time.
I'd rather not feel anything than be depressed.

If you really were, though, that feeling of normalcy would be welcomed with open arms. It sounds like you're bored/frustrated with life, not depressed. There's a difference.

Feeling no motivation to get out of bed, feeling a loss of interest in things you once loved, not finding happiness where you used to, feeling helpless, etc.. That's not depression IMO, that's real life and growing up is only learning how to deal with this stuff, and yes, merely feeling "normal" doesn't sound like it will help. Whereas if you had your head on the floor pressed against a puddle of your own tears, you can't stop crying at the drop of a hat, you're legitimately SCARED of life, you consider suicide all day, every day, you wake up every night with screaming nightmares if you can sleep at all, you can't eat, you wither away into completely deteriorating health, you have friends and loved ones highly concerned about you, etc..

THAT'S BEING DEPRESSED. In this case, you'd sever limbs just to feel "normal" because your "mood" is something you can't even comprehend anymore.

I'm sorry, I know it's not what you want to hear, but anyone looking to use opiates as an "anti-depressant" is just looking for an excuse to be high, legitimately, all the time.

 

[keeping]

yeah, no. in the end, tolerance is always going to be an issue. this will never work.

 

[P.o.T.u.S]

I had a real bad habit and this is a horrible idea but a silver lining to my habit was that when i started using opiates my depression went away and with the dulling of emotions it helped me work through my emotional problems that i had and get motivation to start changing my life for the better.

i was stuck with an oxy habit but slowly i cut back and still had the life skills i developed and the friend/circle and job placement i worked hard for without my emotional problems in the way and extra motivation i had due to the opiates.i still use oxy when my life allows but oxy did kill my depression and using oxy around once a week currently and i am happy as can be but this is a rare case and i know i cant do this forever.

 

[David Wooderson]

But antidepressants also suck. They are a joke. I can't even take this shit serious anymore.
One of my psychiatrists already dumped me, this asshole. I mean if antidepressants don't work then what do you do?
It's unbelievable that these damn doctors simply dump you when nothing works. This shows that they don't care about you personally at all.

What have you tried already to get through it?
I'm sure ppl on the forum would be happy helping you through this.

Have you thought about seeing a therapist? They don't prescribe anything and can be a huge help. Finding the right one is key.
In America it seems they have brainwashed ppl into thinking that happiness is a pill away. Well you found out how much of a scam antidepressants are, so are psychiatrists for people who are not mentally ill. Seriously ill, not zoloft cartoon sad.

One thing you can count yourself lucky if you're smart is that you asked this question before you potentially ruined your life. Once I was hooked, I would have never admitted the fact that they don't work as antidepressants until after I lost everything, for the 2nd time. I'm up for talking if you need to.

Taking opiates in general is playing with fire. you will get burned. Anyone that doesn't admit this has yet to burn their face.

 

[Trying2Iso]

antidepressants aren't the only option.
Lamotragine has been demonstrated to be effective in depression off-label.
Aripiprazole has antidepressant action in conjunction with its antipsychotic action, as a 5HT partial agonist
plus there's always ECT tho this is controversial and i don't want this thread to go on a tangent...

 

[LSDMDMA&AMP]

But I need a damn mood lift! Being 50% less depressed doesn't help me. I am sick of being depressed and melancholic all the time.
I'd rather not feel anything than be depressed.

Join the club.
i tried the whole opiates thing
with heroin
made everything so much worse
now, id rather die than live the heroin lifestyle again.

 

[sekio]

If you need a mood lift try psychedelics in a good supportive setting.

 

[Burnt Offerings]

If you really were, though, that feeling of normalcy would be welcomed with open arms. It sounds like you're bored/frustrated with life, not depressed. There's a difference.

Feeling no motivation to get out of bed, feeling a loss of interest in things you once loved, not finding happiness where you used to, feeling helpless, etc.. That's not depression IMO, that's real life and growing up is only learning how to deal with this stuff, and yes, merely feeling "normal" doesn't sound like it will help. Whereas if you had your head on the floor pressed against a puddle of your own tears, you can't stop crying at the drop of a hat, you're legitimately SCARED of life, you consider suicide all day, every day, you wake up every night with screaming nightmares if you can sleep at all, you can't eat, you wither away into completely deteriorating health, you have friends and loved ones highly concerned about you, etc..

THAT'S BEING DEPRESSED. In this case, you'd sever limbs just to feel "normal" because your "mood" is something you can't even comprehend anymore.

I'm sorry, I know it's not what you want to hear, but anyone looking to use opiates as an "anti-depressant" is just looking for an excuse to be high, legitimately, all the time.

I mean there are degrees of depression right, not everyone has to experience what you described to be depressed or need help.

 

[tacodude]

I definitely second the psychedelic in good setting.... A half eigth or less of cubensis up to an eighth at most would be a good choice in my opinion.

 

[MBRC]

I know this doesnt have directly with opiates and depression. I had acne BAD in h.s. nothing would get rid of it. Only to notice after i started taking opiates regularly it got rid of my acne. I believe its bc of the same reason people lose sex drive on long term opiates bc hormones are suppressed which in turn = less acne/oily face. So 1-2 yrs after i first tried opoids/opiates i had a 95% clear face which in turn made me less depressed but yea opiates made me feel like always thought i should feel. They let me come out of my shell and get rid of my anxiety obviosuly now the negs. Arent worth the pos. If there are any lol

Ive always thought there would be alot of $ in like 1mg codein or .25mg hydrocodone pills for acne. They actually work and at the time i would have taken the addiction risk for a normal teenagers life...

 

[mike.vick]

opiates make you depressed in the long run- evver heard of the blues.
They use to prescribe because it's an obvious an immediate band-aid that manifests rapid relief at the debt of neuronal and hormonal imbalances. Most science a la medicine is very new, like less than 50 years old and was/is very myopic.