Should i be on medication for my depression and what medication is best?

My suggestion is to talk to either a psychiatrist of a GP who is experienced in working with clients who have mental health issues (the beyondblue Web site (http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?) has lists of such GPs).

Matching the “right” anti-depressant to the “right” can take a while, especially as they usually take weeks-months to kick in fully. This is sometimes called “being on the medi-go-round” :-) .

An experienced health professional should be able to use his/her clinical experience to prescribe one that will meet your needs.

Good luck.

Hi

I would only be on medication if I start experiencing physical symptoms . Once you are at that stage you have no option but to be on medication . In terms of medication well i suggest make an appointment to see a GP to refer you to a pychiatrist , depending on the GP , you can choose the psychiatrist of your choice too .

The sooner you start the better as if you leave it with the physical symptoms unfortunetly it will get worse so you would be better of with medication .

The most important thing i believe from my experience is to have faith in god and god is the one that helps and guides a person . Do not rely and become attached to the psychiatrist .

I hope this helps you and good luck in everything .

You do sound as if you are suffering from depression.
You must go to see your doctor, he will properly diagnose you and put you on a course of medication. True, it can take a couple of weeks to kick in but it will work. Stick with it.
Ask your doctor if he thinks you should have talking therapy as well.
Do be totally honest about how bad you feel, the doctor cannot read your mind and there is no point being brave.
You are very young and there is a whole new world waiting for you out there, once you feel better, and you will, you can start to enjoy all that life has to offer.
Good luck

I would like to endorse what anonymous has said.

There is *a lot* of good evidence which shows that a *combination* of anti-depressants and talk therapy (eg, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, though there are others) is more effective in helping people to recover from depression than either is in isolation.

That has certainly been my experience.

So, I suggest that you consult a psychiatrist or a GP with a track record in helping people with depression. They will be able to help you with meds and should also be able to give you a referral to a clinical psychologist.

Clinical psychologists can not prescribe meds but they are health professionals with expertise in talk therapy.

All the best.

Both talking therapies and medications can be helpful. The best treatment for you will depend on factors such as your personal history and the severity of your depression. A good GP can assist with this, one who has specialist training in mental health is best. A good assessment is the key to getting on the right track.

Many of the things you have tried may have limited effectiveness. As suggested, cognitive behavior therapy can be really effective and can be provided by a psychologist. You may benefit from medication too, but it's important to take the medication regularly so it has a chance to be effective.

So I would start with finding a GP you feel comfortable to talk to. You can help the process by making a note of the symptoms you are experiencing.there are some good therapies online also (check out the beyondblue website) which offer free treatments on line. Some people really like this, for others, they prefer face to face.

Don't suffer any longer. There is help out there, and altough it can take a while to work out what works best for you. You can also get more information from the beyondblue info line 1300 22 4636 and they will help you with information and finding local services. As you are young, headspace is also a great option for you, and they will be able to provide you with an assessment and recommend appropriate treatment.

Best wishes,

Working closely with your GP and psychologist is important. If you don't have a GP or psychologist I suggest you get them. You have to feel comfortable with your GP when talking about how you feel so make sure when you book in to see the GP you explain that you would like a long consultation relating to mental health. That will ensure they leave enough time to talk it through with you properly.

To get the most appropriate help you need to be straight up front in letting your GP know. Once you flag your need the system can work well for you. In Australia when obtaining a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP this will allow you 16 consultations with a psychologist with a significant subsidy from Medicare. Some psychologists will bulk bill the 16 sessions if you are financially strapped so you can potentially have a great opportunity to work through with a psychologist on the key issues that are getting you down over a few months.
 
Working with a psychologist, while working with your GP on the appropriate medication, can unfold in to quite a positive step forward.
 
Feel free to email if you would like any further info or anything clarified.

it sounds like you're really suffering at the moment I suggest you see your GP about a referral to a psychologist and also about the possibility of medication.

Hi there,

I would suggest that you speak with you GP about this in the first instance. Depression is variable and each case is unique. It may be that you will benefit from linking with a psychologist in conjunction with medication, or as a stand alone treatment.

Best wishes,

Max.

I am not sure how long this discussion has been going for. You do sound like you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel - AS some of the professionals have mentioned you need to seriously talk to your GP and a psychologist to overcome this feeling of 'hopelessness' and feelings of helplessness'.

I see depression as a emotional issues/traumas from childhood. When you realise exactly what makes you feel depressed - then you can understand why it was the way ot was and look at the lesson or the benefit you had as a result of what happened in the childhood - Deep energy healing can sometimes help resolve these emotional issues and traumas. Releasing and forgiving people also is a great place to start to heal yourself. Deep seated emotions can be detrimental to our mental and emotional wellbeing.

Strat to look at positive aspects to life and focus on some goals that you can set and acheive

You may have to take a mild anti depressants for you to get motivated to seek healing or counselling therapy. Once you start to feel focused on your life path and feel empowered you may not need medication .

There is no one treatment that helps all - We are all individuals and different modalities help different people - Try what you beileve may work. If you have had childhood traumas - try to find a spiritual healer / hypnotherapist

I do healing - I live in country NSW. Happy to reach out to give you some guidance to get you out of the way you feel.

My thoughts are with you