My mother and grandmother suffered from it, and living with only my mother has a huge impact on me. When I was 13/14 I was put on Effexor for six or seven months, I can't exactly remember (I'm 18 now).
What it did was definitely NOT make me happier. What I thought felt at the time and what I understand I felt at the time now are two different things. The Effexor made me vastly more irritable, and really more prone to outbursts of anger. Beforehand I had been extraordinarily quiet, reserved, and generally not prone to thinking about anybody in a bad way. According to my psychiatrist I had been internalizing a lot of my anger and directing it towards myself, which made me hate myself and withdraw from society and fear social contact. I hated the Effexor because it made me such an irritable person, and eventually I went off it and onto Celexa and Wellbutrin, neither of which I stayed on for more than a few weeks. Eventually I gave it up altogether.
But I guess the Effexor changed me as a person and gave me an outlet to express myself in a way I hadn't ever before. Ironically I made a lot of friends through being angry and vindictive and once I got over myself and how much I hated everything, I realized I didn't really hate anything at all.
So I guess you could say that in a way the medication helped me. It was a really miserable time for me, the medication screwed me up a lot in the head, and I'm not sure how I would have turned out if I hadn't taken it.
I show all the signs of SAD every winter so I assume it's just a thing with me and I deal with it because I still love winter no matter how withdrawn I get. I really feel the social effects, in that I don't want to see anybody and would rather hole up in my room or go out for walks with my music, basically do solitary activities.
My mother is less fortunate than I am and is on antidepressants and can't hold a regular sleep schedule, but I hope that once I move out I'll be able to leave some of my pain behind and be able to get out of the depressing house. I know that sounds cold, but I really am sick of her bringing me down all the time with her attitude while I try to stay cheery.
Anyway, what I mean to say is that the medication gave me more of a wake-up call and realization of who I am than a mood boost. It also made me sweat a lot.
Looking forward to spring in a couple months, hope you feel better and good luck
And sorry I went off on such a personal tangent!