depression?

Question

how do you know when its serious enough to go to your doctor for anti-depressants. i have a good life etc and there are people out there dying and starving to death and i feel depressed. i get very angry over stupid little things, get stressed because there is a lot going on in my life. am i just feeling sorry for myself or is it normal to feel like this? maybe its just that i think negatively. what do you think? are there any natural remedies rather than medication. i have lived like this for 2 years pretending everything is ok and i dont feel like i can go on pretending for much longer. i dont know what to do - help??!!

Answer 1

There will always be people with worse problems than yourself.

This does not make your problem meaningless.

There are some simple on-line test that can give you an indication of the seriousness of your condition and I will look them up and post links ASAP.

However if you have felt like this for two years I would strongly suggest that you arrange an appointment with your doctor and discuss it with them. They will be able to advise what options would be appropriate.

As promised please check out the following link:

http://community.netdoktor.com/ccs/uk/depression/facts/testyourself/goldberg.jsp

Answer 2

I think you are suffering like a lot of people with the stresses of life. I know I've been there and sometimes it feels like you're going to lose your mind. I wouldn't suggest having medication though because it can be addictive and you just need to get out there, have some fun and have some "me" time. What job do you do and is there a way of changing your hours or your career completely? I was lucky enough to reduce my hours and I feel so much happier and relaxed now. I don't know of any natural remedies but I'm sure there are some out there. Also your diet can affect your state of mind. You will feel better. Test: sit there and smile to yourself thinking that there are people out there that do care and that you are a great person. Good luck hon - you can beat it!

Answer 3

You must stop pretending that everything is okay and go speak to your doctor. You sound as if you feel guilty for having a good life while other people dont have one. You should not feel guilty..your a unique person and your life style is what it is and you should not be judged on how you live. It sounds as if there is so much going on in your life at the momement that you feel as if you are stuck and cant seem to find which way to go next. This may be the cause of your anger and stress and you are allowed to feel sorry for yourself. Your doctor may refer you for counselling and he may also prescribe medication, but these are not happy pills this is medication that helps relax and calm you. which in turn with counselling should help you sort out your feelings and eventually deal with issues that are making you feel this way, but you must allow yourself time you have taken the first step asking for help well done!
now take the next one.
Take care and go see your doctor

Answer 4

Just from the end of your sentence and saying that your pretending everythings ok makes me think you need to see your doctor, perhaps some counselling would work for you if there is a lot going on in your lfe maybe you just need to unload onto someone and get stuff off your chest. Just because there are people starving in the world it doesnt mean your not allowed to feel depressed. I have been taking kalms herbal pills and they work for me but i also have been talking to a counsellor which is a big help. Dont struggle on anymore, life is to short.

Answer 5

If you have any signs whatsoever that you are feeling down you should talk to you doctor about it, even if it's just to talk. There are plenty of people out there with "the perfect life" that still suffer from depression. It may be a case of you just need an extra set of ears at the moment or you may need to be medicated. Either way, depression is NOT something to fool around with because it can interfer with every aspect of your life. And no one should be ashamed of depression either because 1 out 3 people have some form and honestly, I think the other 2 are just fooling themselves. No one can be perfectly happy all the time. GOOD LUCK and keep Smiling : )

Answer 6

hiya, first of all i'm so sorry your feeling so low (big hug) please don't feel that your being selfish because of how you are feeling because you have no reason to! Yes there is poverty and starvation in the world and it is indeed very sad but it is also a fact that there are many people suffering from depression in the world also and it is nothing to be ashamed of,what so ever! The fact that you have been suffering in silence for two years is very sad, especially as you say you have stuff going on in your life so please I urge you pay your gp a visit and he will be able to prescribe the best treatment for you - be it medication, counselling or both.. I wish you all the best and hope you let me know how you get on.. Take care babe :-)

Answer 7

i went though this myself i was like you. i've got a good life n stuff. but still things got me down so i went to the doc's. and the doc told me i could either go and see a councillor and talk bout things. which may help you. or to go and take anti depressants, which i chose not to.but thats the only thing my doc said. i didn't feel comfortable in telling a stranger my problems of taking pills. so i had to get out of it myself somehow but i did it

if your anything like me i keep my problems to myself and would just keep them all in.
so what i did was with a close friend told her everything. even though she didn't give much advise but it was just nice for some1 just to listen. that was a huge weight off. just to get everything out. how big or how small the problem was. for me the talking really helped
also i started to concentrate on me and giving me some me time.and surrounded myself with things what made me happy.
also when problem did come up i would try and tackle it there and then. so i wouldn't think about forever n a day.

i know it doesn't sound like much but as time went on it help me to stop thinking of the negative.

hope it helps.

Answer 8

Do see your Doctor or seek the advice of a therapist but if you do want to go down the herbal route St John's Wort has been used for over 2000 years for feelings of melancholy; team it (as someone once recommended to me) with some Vitamin B Complex it could help you feel more like yourself again.

Best wishes

Answer 9

Medication can help, I was on something for ages and my life felt much easier for that time. I was actually healed by Jesus when I became a Christian, maybe you could try getting prayer? Depression isn't about what is going on around you, it's a brain imbalance, you need to get re-balanced, and don't hide yourself away or think there''s nobody who can help you because that makes it worse. See your doctor and take all the help you can. I'll pray for you.

Answer 10

First you should also get a medical examination to rule out any health conditions that may mimick depression. Example: (hypertension, thyroid disease, diabetes, etc...) If it is not a medical condition then go seek out the services of a mental health professional. A psychologist, or social worker can interview you to make an assessment and then refer you to a psychiatrist to determine if you need medication.

Don't wait until your symptoms get worse. Then it will be harder and more expensive to get better.