Has anyone ever been depressed? Or misdianosed as depressed? How do you know, other than going to a Dr? Do you

Question

know what is happening to you? I'm wondering because I know I have anxiety problems and looking back I can see it now, where before I couldn't. They put me on Lexapro which did great, not 100% but pretty good, but then they told me I was depressed because the Lexapro works for depression. And I thought "I didn't realize I was depressed" but then I didn't see the anxiety either. So other than just taking the Dr's word for it, I'm wondering if I were to look back on my life, what would I look for?

There are so many awesome answers here, it is going to be hard to choose.

Answer 1

Drug company Lilly has this on webmd...
http://www.webmd.com/content/tools/1/quiz_depression_risk.htm

And Mental disorders starts with this page...
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/60/67134.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

Of course Anxiety is at the top of the list (A-Z). Check out what they say about depression. More than likely, you will rule yourself out. But since many disorders can affect your self monitoring, print out the one on depression and ask a parent and a friend to read it. If at least one says "yes, you have Depression", get more opinions.

Some times I wonder if some of the Mental health care providers sleep through some of their classes or just forget. On the other hand, they have learned sooo much about the brain since the late 1980s when they were able to do ct scans that it's hard to keep up with all the new discoveries.

Answer 2

American culture tells us we must be go getters who are happy all the time. NOT REALITY!! Life is hard, harder for some than others. Everyone has their fears and insecurities, again some more than others.
I will give you some advice from my experience of exploring the past to resolve current issues, it does not work to look to the past. Look at your anxieties, write about them, find out who you are and how you feel now. You can not change the past but you can work on things that bother you today. I know allot of the reasons from the past of why I have issues today, but knowing does not help. I wish I had never looked back. It only made me feel worse and did not change a thing. Look to the future and what you want and focus on making it happen. Don't pay some jack@#$ a hundred bucks an hour to make you relive, and thereby reestablish in your brain, all the pain of the past.

Answer 3

I'VE been depressed, but I've healed from it now, and you can get better too, w/o seeing a doctor. Just go treat yourself to your fav. treat, and go out with friends and you'll be fine. THIS is your medicine. Think about the positive thing in life. As for your anxiety... well when I had similar issues before my mother told me to just HAVE FUN. No matter where you are. Stop thinking about bad/scary.nervous issues you have and just let go... I will never forget that, and whenever I get uncomfortable about something, (being in a crowded room, alot of people, rollar coasters, etc) I will remember what she told me. I'd repeat it in my head a few times and I would be fine. You just needed a little push in the right direction I think.

Answer 4

Are you male or female and what is your age?

I had a Dr. want to put me on depression meds, but I refused... saw another Dr. and told him I wanted to find the cause, not treat the symptom. I was also having other peri-menopause symptoms (cycles normal) from the time I stopped the "pill"... for me it was a side effect of hormones being out of whack. Went back on the pill by my own request and sure enough, things started to even out for me within a month. Just a thought for you.

Answer 5

I was misdiagnosed with depression and took medicine for it for a long time. Could the problem be that you are lonely, unhappy with yourself, or feel a void in your life? These things can be fixed with counseling, religion, self improvement and talking to other people about it. It is sad to have to take medicine to regulate your life but if you truly feel you need it and it helps, then there is your answer. Only you truly know how you feel and what you need. Do take your doctor's advice but feel free to look around for other opinions.

Answer 6

Depression is common. Many people experience it and for various reasons. Sometimes it isn't so serious that medication is required. With me, I get depressed when we have many days without sunshine. But when we drive down the peninsula to where I can get some sun, I'm OK again.

Some people have to take medication so they can manage their life more comfortably.

You aren't crazy because you are depressed and need to take medication.

Answer 7

After I vapor-locked the second time, and the quack gave me a handful of pills to take for BP, cholesterol, and my heart. Screwed me up big-time. So he gave me Celexa, and made it worse. Been off that **** for three years.

And if numbnuts up there knew squat, depression can be chemically induced. But, being the retard that he is, he wouldn't know that.

Answer 8

I wasn't misdiagnosed, but from personal and professional experience I can tell you that depression and anxiety walk hand-in-hand with each other, they can fuel each other (for example you are really anxious which makes everything so much harder which makes you depressed which in turns makes you more anxious etc).

Answer 9

some people would say that a high degree of anxiety is the same thing as certain symptoms of depression

depression can be a range of different symptoms and states of mind of which anxiety is only one

Answer 10

read this girls blog on Anxiety. Towards the bottom.
http://yougogirl2006.blogspot.com/

Don't trust docs. They get kickbacks from rich pharmaceutical companies.
To relieve stress or whatever....go find a passion. A passion is something you can do for hours and it'll feel like minutes. Passion lifts your spirit, soul, mind and body:)