How does the Catholic Church feel about antidepressants?

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Charolettestar

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I have had a pain in my left upper belly for many months now, and other than an enlarged kidney that has subsided and a lot of “normal” blood work, my doctor of 4 months wants to put me on antidepressants to help control the unknown pain as they cant find anything wrong. Problem is I know that there is truly something wrong. In any case, how does the Catholic Church see antidepressants?
Ultimately, I feel as though I need to trust God. Period. But she seems pretty insistent that there is nothing wrong at all.
 
Is it Cymbalta? I know of people who are on that for pain control and not depression. Why didn’t your doctor want to use a medication that is strictly for pain? I don’t know what the Church teaches, I’ve just asked that myself elsewhere, but I do know sometimes medication is the only thing that helps depression.

I hope you feel better soon.
 
I hope they feel OK about it because I can’t leave the house without anxiety medicine. I am sorry for your situation. Good luck, Sending prayers.
 
Long story short, my husband deployed 4 months ago, and she thinks its because of this. But I’d rather not even go that route. I want to have a family, and would rather not “possibly” harm my future children.
 
Thanks Shelby as am I for you. For me, the things I experience are within means of normal, and my family and friends also think that I am rather normal. The other odd thing is I’ve ran 99.1-99.8 off and on for these months. And can remember feeling badly before but not taking a notice to it. Many blessings to you both in hopes of finding answers of your own.
 
Charolettestar said:
Long story short, my husband deployed 4 months ago, and she thinks its because of this. But I’d rather not even go that route. I want to have a family, and would rather not “possibly” harm my future children.
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Bless you and your husband for your service to us all.
 
I have a friend who checked with a Catholic counselor before she started using them. She never would have gotten a prescription had the advice been different.

I haven’t read anything in the CCC specifically prohibiting anti-depressants. Catholicism isn’t against using medicine in all cases.

For me “trusting God” is a nice slogan in situations like this, but God gave man the ability to create medicines to make our lives and health better.

My issue with your situation is why does the doctor think that an anti-depressant will help you, if you aren’t depressed? I haven’t heard of using anti-depressants as a pain-killer, which is why I’m suspicious. Also, when we discussed anti-depressants in my abnormal psychology class, we never spoke about using them specifically as a pain-killer. (And my professor is a professional who works regularly w/clients). We always talked about using these drugs in the context of the psychological problems they were meant to control.

I’d get a second opinion before you go on an antidepressant. They are addictive and w/drawl can get really bad. I hope that someone who’s more knowledgeable than I am responds to your post.

(In the interest of full disclosure: I am on an anti-depressant and have had great results. However, I also use it the way that it’s intended.)

I’ve never heard of prescribing an anti-depressant as a pain-killer. That’s just weird.
 
I am on so many meds it’s scary. Not just for depression, but for other things as well. Some mental, some medical. I believe the Church is ok with all of this. If it isn’t, then I’m in deep doo-doo.:eek:
 
Kal2012 said:
I have a friend who checked with a Catholic counselor before she started using them. She never would have gotten a prescription had the advice been different.

I haven’t read anything in the CCC specifically prohibiting anti-depressants. Catholicism isn’t against using medicine in all cases.

For me “trusting God” is a nice slogan in situations like this, but God gave man the ability to create medicines to make our lives and health better.

My issue with your situation is why does the doctor think that an anti-depressant will help you, if you aren’t depressed? I haven’t heard of using anti-depressants as a pain-killer, which is why I’m suspicious. Also, when we discussed anti-depressants in my abnormal psychology class, we never spoke about using them specifically as a pain-killer. (And my professor is a professional who works regularly w/clients). We always talked about using these drugs in the context of the psychological problems they were meant to control.

I’d get a second opinion before you go on an antidepressant. They are addictive and w/drawl can get really bad. I hope that someone who’s more knowledgeable than I am responds to your post.

(In the interest of full disclosure: I am on an anti-depressant and have had great results. However, I also use it the way that it’s intended.)

I’ve never heard of prescribing an anti-depressant as a pain-killer. That’s just weird.
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On the contrary, it is fairly common to use antidepressants as painkillers, esp. for chronic pain, neurological pain, diabetic neuropathy, and other conditions. Your professor probably did not feel the need to discuss the use of these meds as painkillers since that is not what you were studying. If you were taking a course in pharmacology, it would have been discussed. Here is an article that explains this pretty well:

pain.about.com/od/treatment/a/types_of_antidepressants.htm

I actually take an anti-seizure medication to control nerve pain from degenerative disc disease. Some meds have multiple uses.

To the OP:

The Catholic Church does not forbid the use of medications, including anti-depressants, to treat medical conditions. You should discuss your hesitancy with your Dr. This really isn’t the place to get medical advice. God bless you and I hope you find help.
 
Kal2012 said:
I have a friend who checked with a Catholic counselor before she started using them. She never would have gotten a prescription had the advice been different.

I haven’t read anything in the CCC specifically prohibiting anti-depressants. Catholicism isn’t against using medicine in all cases.

For me “trusting God” is a nice slogan in situations like this, but God gave man the ability to create medicines to make our lives and health better.

My issue with your situation is why does the doctor think that an anti-depressant will help you, if you aren’t depressed? I haven’t heard of using anti-depressants as a pain-killer, which is why I’m suspicious. Also, when we discussed anti-depressants in my abnormal psychology class, we never spoke about using them specifically as a pain-killer. (And my professor is a professional who works regularly w/clients). We always talked about using these drugs in the context of the psychological problems they were meant to control.

I’d get a second opinion before you go on an antidepressant. They are addictive and w/drawl can get really bad. I hope that someone who’s more knowledgeable than I am responds to your post.

(In the interest of full disclosure: I am on an anti-depressant and have had great results. However, I also use it the way that it’s intended.)

I’ve never heard of prescribing an anti-depressant as a pain-killer. That’s just weird.
Click to expand...
On the contrary, it is fairly common to use antidepressants as painkillers, esp. for chronic pain, neurological pain, diabetic neuropathy, and other conditions. Here is an article that explains this pretty well:

pain.about.com/od/treatment/a/types_of_antidepressants.htm

I actually take an anti-seizure medication to control nerve pain from degenerative disc disease. Some meds have multiple uses.

To the OP:

The Catholic Church does not forbid the use of medications, including anti-depressants, to treat medical conditions. You should discuss your hesitancy with your Dr. This really isn’t the place to get medical advice. God bless you and I hope you find help.
 
Charolettestar said:
I have had a pain in my left upper belly for many months now, and other than an enlarged kidney that has subsided and a lot of “normal” blood work, my doctor of 4 months wants to put me on antidepressants to help control the unknown pain as they cant find anything wrong. Problem is I know that there is truly something wrong. In any case, how does the Catholic Church see antidepressants?
Ultimately, I feel as though I need to trust God. Period. But she seems pretty insistent that there is nothing wrong at all.
Click to expand...
Mental illness is often caused by chemical imbalances. Yes you should trust in God, but this doesn’t mean you should pass on a cast for a broken arm.
 
CB_Catholic said:
The Catholic Church does not forbid the use of medications, including anti-depressants, to treat medical conditions. You should discuss your hesitancy with your Dr. This really isn’t the place to get medical advice. God bless you and I hope you find help.
Click to expand...
👍 This

Also, My confessor knows I’m on anti-depressants and anxiety meds, and he didn’t say it was sinful to take them, and he’s very orthodox so I think we’re fine 🙂
 
Daizies said:
👍 This

Also, My confessor knows I’m on anti-depressants and anxiety meds, and he didn’t say it was sinful to take them, and he’s very orthodox so I think we’re fine 🙂
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I don’t really understand. Why would the Church think taking anti-depressants is sinful? What is different about anti-depressants and any other medication?
 
The Catholic Church has no teachings against psychotropic medications. It is pretty much accepted that clinical depression and other mental illnesses have a chemical component. Some antidepressants have shown effectiveness against chronic pain, which sometimes seems chemically-neurologically similar to clinical depression.
 
Thank you so much for your replies. It’s more a pain management thing, but I feel there is reason to believe otherwise. I somewhat feel she cares as far as results go and beyond that, it’s all in my head. It still lightens my heart to know that she cares enough not to let me walk away without telling me. I realize that to rule it out I have to try it. But then, there was a period of time that I felt better and the antibiotics worked and whatever it is is reoccurring very gradual every day is minutely worse than the last. I have told her this. I will most likely decline because other than when I’m in pain, I’m fairly happy go lucky and handle stuff fairly well. I actually think I’m going to search out natural means starting with exercise and a better diet since I lack some in both areas.
I agree that you can’t put a bandaid on something as important than this. I just deeply feel it is not depression related pain. She has sent me to several other specialists these people don’t communicate at all. Some of them are a floor apart and she doesn’t even keep track of the emails/letters that are sent.
Please keep the responses coming. It’s comforting to know that I’m not necessarily alone in this in all directions.
Thank you guys/gals!
 
minkymurph said:
I don’t really understand. Why would the Church think taking anti-depressants is sinful? What is different about anti-depressants and any other medication?
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I said he DIDN’T say it was sinful 🙂
Some religious groups, even some Christian ones, believe it is sinful because it alters your brain (or something like that).
 
Charolettestar said:
Thank you so much for your replies. It’s more a pain management thing, but I feel there is reason to believe otherwise. I somewhat feel she cares as far as results go and beyond that, it’s all in my head. It still lightens my heart to know that she cares enough not to let me walk away without telling me. I realize that to rule it out I have to try it. But then, there was a period of time that I felt better and the antibiotics worked and whatever it is is reoccurring very gradual every day is minutely worse than the last. I have told her this. I will most likely decline because other than when I’m in pain, I’m fairly happy go lucky and handle stuff fairly well. I actually think I’m going to search out natural means starting with exercise and a better diet since I lack some in both areas.
I agree that you can’t put a bandaid on something as important than this. I just deeply feel it is not depression related pain. She has sent me to several other specialists these people don’t communicate at all. Some of them are a floor apart and she doesn’t even keep track of the emails/letters that are sent.
Please keep the responses coming. It’s comforting to know that I’m not necessarily alone in this in all directions.
Thank you guys/gals!
Click to expand...
Personally, if I was in your situation, I would be concerned too - It seems odd to me to use an anti-depressant for pain - but then, I’m not a doctor (my psychiatrist uses a blood pressure med for nightmares, so I know doctors do weird things). I understand how frustrating it is to have specialists not communicating with each other and your doctor. And then you have them telling you contradictory things to each other, and not listening to what you tell them the other specialists say… ah the fun :rolleyes:

Well, I really hope you find something that will help 🙂
 
Good question for Back Fence.

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