I was initially diagnosed with Depression in 2012. I had been struggling with it on and off for a while at that point, and it was the right time to seek help for it. I started medication not long after. I had been struggling with feelings of being suicidal and having no self-esteem or self, and didn’t see much point to being around.

Fast forward to now, I have been gradually reducing the amount of medication that I’ve been taking for a few months now and have been feeling ok with the reduction. I think the main driving factor in the change was starting to take ADHD medication, which has left me feeling more like myself and generally happier and with a brighter mood.

Getting diagnosed with ADHD has generally been a positive thing, as it is another way for me to understand myself better and how my brain works. I think in the two and a bit years since I was diagnosed with ADHD, there have been a few positive changes in my life which have all contributed to being less depressed.

I’m glad that I’m now in a place where I don’t depend on antidepressants to make me feel better, as I’ve been on them for over a decade. It feels right that, as I’m making positive changes in my life, I can rely on medication less. It feels like an important step to make in my mental health journey, even though they have helped me a lot over the years.

I don’t want this blog to sound like I’m saying antidepressants are bad or not suitable for me (or anyone else, for that matter), because they have helped me in many ways, as they help other people with their mental health. For me, it feels like the right time to be trying to move on and live life without them. They have been a useful tool over the past thirteen years, but now feels right to develop other tools to help keep my mental health in a more positive state.