I've been taking an anti-depressant for a couple of years now and after trying a few different meds I am finally on one that works and I feel better than I ever have. It works wonderfully on me and any side effects are extremely mild. This is my problem- I don't think I will ever be able to stop taking it. I have Major Depressive Disorder (I think that's what my shrink called it...), so it's not like I just needed an anti-depressant for a while to get myself back on track. I talked to my doctor about reducing my dosage or stopping taking my meds because I was feeling really good, but she said that given my history I probably wouldn't want to do that because I could get depressed again. Indeed, I started lessening my dosage myself mostly just to see if I would be ok without my meds, and after a few months I could feel myself falling into depression again. All the old symptoms were there. I started taking my meds again and I feel much better. But will I have to take medication for the rest of my life? What if I want to have children? I don't think I can take this type of medication while pregnant or nursing. I don't like the idea of feeling dependent on a drug for my entire life. I was raised in a home where anti-depressants and those types of drugs were seriously frowned upon because my parents believe if you have to take a med like that it means you can't control yourself, which is, well, bad. I'm tired of having to hide what I take my medication for. People are really judgmental about it and it scares me to think I will have to take medication forever. Will I ever be 'better'?

Many people do feel they are more emotionally stable while they are on medication for mood disorders, but it is often related to the stressors of a particular time in their life and may, in fact, ease up and remit at times, with no medication necessary.  It is entirely possible you will have times of needing no medication, but all transitions should be done slowly, with the counsel and advice of your clinicians.