Funny thing with all these SSRIs is that their mechanism of action is exactly like cocaine, expect cocaine inhibits dopamine reuptake rather than serotonin. So because pharmaceutical agencies can legally sell these things, and make tonnes of money doing it, it is generally accepted as a good thing, bettering peoples lives. Whereas if you use cocaine, your a dirty drug-munger and you will be put in prison and condemned by society.
Similar to continual cocaine use, addiction will happen with SSRIs. You will get a down regulation of serotonin receptors, just like what happens with dopamine receptors with continual cocaine use, and you'll need to take more SSRIs to get the same effect. If you do decide to go off them, you have one of two choices. Cold turkey, in which your body will now have no where near enough synaptic serotonin in comparison to your post-synaptic serotonin receptor density, and if low serotonin levels were the reason for your depression, it's only going to be so much worse now than when your first started. Or, wean yourself off of them hoping that your body will adapt and increase the number of receptors.
With all these biochemical changes you're inducing in your brain and the dramatic impact they have on your thinking, will you even remember what feeling "normal" was like? Or will you be lost in a drug induced haze for the rest of your life, like a crack addict typified by Tyrone Biggums?
Not trying to rant here, but give some more information.
Like I said before anti-depressants can have great effects, you just have to be very, very, very careful with them.
The hypocrisy of US anti-drug policy does really get to me though.
