Antidepressants are most commonly used to treat depression in people with major depression or depression caused by other illnesses (such as bipolar disorder). My experience began when I was about 19. I had been depressed for a long time and decided to see a psychiatrist. At first I was diagnosed with major depression but later on, another doctor realized I actually had bipolar disorder II.      The first antidepressant I was given was Paxil. It didn't help me at all. In fact, the only thing it did for me was it made me sleep about 18 hours a day. I felt completely apathetic. I wanted to sleep and I would wake up long enough to eat or go to the bathroom but that was about it. I was advised to stay on it for at least a couple of weeks to let it "get in my system". So I took that advice and waited a few weeks before giving up on it completely.      Then I was given Lexapro. I basically had the same problem with it but it also caused me to have some chest pain and I felt like my chest was really…