TexasGirl

I am hesitant to discuss this, but...
I have decided that I am reasonably sure I am suffering from depression. There, I said it. For those of you who have been down this road, can you help me with a question? I live in a relatively small town, so I don't know who to see about this.

Would I benefit from just seeing my general practitioner? I know they do not specialize in this area, but at least they can prescribe medication if it is deemed necessary.

I have seen a counselor in town one time, but as she is not an MD, she would not be able to help me if medication seemed the best bet. So would that really help?

Or should I go directly to a psyciatrist? This seems like the best plan, but there are none in my city that accept my insurance. I would have to go to the nearest big city (1 hour away). This is OK, as I could use vacation time from work for that. But, although one time would be fine with me, I am worried that they would want to have regular appointments, and I cannot use a vacation day every 2 weeks. I only have a few left, and I want to save them for an actual vacation or something! Any suggestions???

AstridPearl

Well... you probably CAN get antidepressants from your GP, I did when I was on them, but the problem is that you need to see a therapist as well if you are going to be on meds. Therapy plus medication is the most effective way of dealing with depression but meds alone will only cover up the problem, not really help to solve it on anything other than an immediate and short term way.

Can you see the therapist after you get meds from your GP? That would be my suggestion. I don't think psychiatrists are all that great at therapy anyway... they tend to rely too heavily on medication to do their jobs for them.

Hope that helps.

CatsTail

You don't need a shrink to get anti-depressants, you can get them from a G.P. Go to your G.P for meds and your counselor for some counseling would be a good remedy.

Ngaire

walkingtheline

I agree with the two-step solution.

See your doc, explain how you're feeling and get some med help. See your counselor to have someone to talk to to resolve some of the issues.

FriendofBill

Saving days for vacation vs taking days to save your mental health?

Hmmmm.....Id vote for the latter.

If you dont have mental health, those vacation days wont mean much. I went to my primary care doctor first for depression, she gave me a script for 30 days for anti-d's. I was already in therapy, tho she sent me to Psychiatrist to evaluate me to determine if I needed long term treatment/meds.

I only needed to be on Paxil for 6 months, everyone is different, wont know til your on them what is effective.

The combination of therapy, meds, and AL-ANon turned my life into the beauty it is today. Depression is a chemical imbalance of which we have no control over. Good luck!

meli2005

For simple cases of depression, I think your GP is fine. Though if you find the things your GP is prescribing you are not working, you might want to move on to a psychiatrist. Counseling is good in conjunction with the medication for a the best effect, plus if you are dealing with alcoholism, it's good as well.

shelobo

Your town should have a local MHMR center.Or try checking out TURNING POINT. There should be info on the web about turning point.

equus

The medication can correct a chemical imbalance and give you the boost to make long term life changes. Counselling/therapy is good where you find it leads to positive life changes but I would keep life changes as the frame of reference.

If getting to counselling is difficult it may be worth trying a couple of months just with the AD's - nothing stops you from entering counselling whenever you want so you don't have to make every decision straight away. You might find that after a month or two on AD's you can better use the time anyway, being perhaps a little more motivated, positive etc.

GP's should have a sound basic knowledge of depression and would be able to give reliable basic guidance (given that they are a competant doctor - but that's a whole other issue). If you write down the things that have made you feel you might be depressed and then see if there are things you could do to rectify them (ie lack of activity - regular excercise, joining a class etc, lack of socialising - taking up a new hobby). You could then discuss that plan with the doc and ask his/her advice whether it might be enough of a first step.

It might be a cultural difference but here in the uk psychiatric help is normally sought where things have got more complicated, where as counselling is more frequent, although many still opt for AD's alone and that can be effective if it gives people the boost to change habits in their lifestyle.

As long as you have a 'good' doctor I would suggest asking them the question you've asked here. Mild depression is often easily sorted, quite common and helped by seeking treatment early.

Oh and GOOD FOR YOU tackling it!! The attitude you have to sorting it out will be a real bonus to you!

Zoey

Just me, I was going thru horrible grief with no grief group around, and a bit of different situation that caused the grief, so just friends could not understand. Added to that, some people had their nasty version of my problems, these were know it all, I am right people. So I had extreme anger.
I was sad, very sad, and angry. My wonderful MD's wanting to help offered me Anti-depressents. I hate mood and mind alltering drugs, so I thought about it.

I felt I needed a councelor that would just listen, let me talk, repeat, talk, explain all my hurts, anger, grief, guilt etc. etc.
I called explained what I needed. She understood, and that is what my sessions were, talking out loud my feelings, till I sorta got the poison out of my heart and mind, then it was just getting to sleep, so asked for anti-anxity or sleeping pill.
I got a good anti-anxiey Rx, they work in 30 min. not take 30 days before they kick in.

There are Dr's that can test for chemical imbalance in case we need litium.

Here is my thinking for what it is worth, Depressed people don't laugh at a joke, because they didn't hear, didn't listen or did not understand. Depressed people don't say Hi: how are you?? I drove a lady around that was depressed, I would mention flowers over there, neat car we saw. She never turned her head and no comment. I am thankful it was short term.

So I feel, if we can laugh at a joke or at least understand it, we arn't depressed, or if we can do a little something for someone else, we are not depressed. If we feel anti-social, that may be self preservation as people are hurtful.

Hope this will help you decside, this is just my feelings, no facts here.
Talk, talk talk helps me, talking to someone that won't judge or try to fix me.

dreamygirl

Hello -


I went to my GP 2 weeks ago and told him everything. I have never seen him before - he is in the practice that my previous doctor retired from.

I told him all I have been through in the last 10 months - which includes marrying my fiance last December and subsequently finding out he is an end stage alcoholic. He had his 2nd episode of bleeding esophageal varices in July. I stayed with him despite all the emotional, verbal and mental abuse -
and his absence from our marriage so he could drink. Then I moved out and -
I am now trying to heal.

He prescribed Ambien for restful sleep and Zoloft for my anxiety/depression.
I got back in 2 more weeks for a recheck. He wants me on Zoloft for a minimum of 6 months - I do not need to see a therapist at the same time. As I told him, it did not help me - and he was fine with that.

Good luck to you.

Beautiful

Living with an alcoholic sometimes yields you Situational Depression which, in the absence of a harder core medication like Zoloft of Effexor, can be remedied with the herb St John's Wort available at health food stores. It doesn't work for everyone but it does work in some cases, especially the ones that aren't chemical imbalances. I would check with your GP first because 1)some herbs interact with other medications and 2) there is no substitute for medical advice.

dreamygirl

Forgot to mention - I try to go to Alanon too, but haven't lately.