questions about depression?

Question

please answer as clear as possible:
1) is it normal for depression to increase and decrease continously?
2) can the family doctor help in prescripting medications for depression?
3) do i need a medical prescription to get anti depressants from the drugstore?
4) and if i get the pills, will it be a life long therapy or it will be a temporary thing that after a certain period i will stop feeling depressed when i stop the pills?
5) whats the best anti depress medication?
thank you!

Answer 1

1) For many people battling depression, yes, it does increase and decrease continuously.
2) Yes.
3) Yes, for the medications doctors usually recommend.
4)You'll have to discuss this with your doctor, and see how you respond to the therapy. It's often recommended that you take them for a period of months, if not indefinitely. Some people don't see the full possible result until a couple of weeks to a month on the med.
I've been taking them for 11 years with no serious side effects, and mostly with good "relief". If affording the medication is a challenge, it's possible to work with your doctor to ask if he could give you the samples that drug salesmen drop off, and some drug manufacturers even have programs for people who need financial help to afford them. Mention this matter to your doctor if necessary.
It's well worth it to just stay on them. They can prevent recurrence of depression, or make it not as bad as it would be otherwise. Many depressed people have a brain chemical imbalance which is greatly helped by the meds, so it's good to get the med continuously to counteract that. The med itself is unlikely to "cure" the depression.
5) There are many good ones. I'm presently having very good results with Cymbalta, but your doctor will recommend one.

Don't overlook the option of adding talking with a counselor to your efforts to feel better.

P.S. I'm sure mamabear meant, and this is correct, that you are NOT crazy to ask for help.

Answer 2

These kind of questions should really be answered by a professional .. not a lot of people with a variety of opinions. If you think you may be suffering from depression. First of all , I would go to webmd.com and look under the category of : depression. There is a ton of great information there for anyone to read. A family doctor may or may not be comfortable in prescribing these kinds of medications.. but if yours is not , he can refer you to a doctor that can sit down with you and talk , and decide which , if any, medications would be best for you to take at this time. Yes you need a medical prescription to get this kind of medication. Will it be life long therapy or temporary.. no one can really answer that for you .. but in general , many times it is a short term problem .. and one that you should look into if you are suffering or feeling "blue" or "down" for more than 2 weeks at a time. It is normal to have a down day or two once in a while .. but if you are concerned enough to be asking the question . then I would strongly urge you to seek out more help from a Doctor.. don't be afraid. Even if you go in to talk with someone about this .. that doesn't mean you have to follow their advice .. or take the medication .. the control is still in your hands at all times. People can tell you what they believe would be best for you to do .. but they can NOT force you to do anything. So don't be afraid to go to a doctor or a close friend or your parents .. whoever you feel comfortable getting help from with this. There is no need to suffer. There is no "best" antidepressant. There are many kinds . and all are good .. some work better for some people . and others work better for other people .. that is why you want to talk to a Doctor about this and see which one may be best for you. I'm glad you wrote today .. that was a step in the right direction in seeking help for your condition ! Good luck ! :)

Answer 3

1. yes it is normal for depression to have a cyclic times - look into your time of your menstrual cycle as well sometimes it could be a hormonal imbalance.
2. yes a family doctor if he is good can proscribe anti depressants
3. you do need a medical prescription for anti depressants
4. It does not mean it will be life long unless you have a serious bipolar depression and you definitely can ease of anti depressants gradually without having to use them for the rest of your life.
5. the best anti depressant is one that your body can handle - meaning everyone reacts differently to anti depressants.

One thing you should know - you can take Omega 3 for about a month and that can help you get over part of the depression enough that you can go for counseling without therapy anti depressants are just not that effective.
You can also listen to upbeat music and sometimes that can jump start you into a lesser depression and even get you to exercise which can also alleviate depression
anti depressants don't work instantly - it can take up to a month to start feeling better so I would start with the Omega 3 first and then take the medication to to help boost the effect and then when you are off the medication keep taking the omega 3 to keep you on even keel
great site to look up meds is crazymeds.org

Answer 4

I think that your symtoms sound like bipolar depression also known as manic depression which causes extreme highs and lows. I have been dealing with a depressed teen for years and there is no magic pill. The best medicine is talking with a therapist and your parents. The main thing is to get to the root cause of your depression, you could even have a chemical inbalance in your brain, which then means that you should see a physician and get a physical. I would not be concerned about how long therapy will take, instead be more concerned with getting the help you need.

Answer 5

Hi. Wow, look at all the questions. You should get some good professional advice. But for what it is worth, you can be feeling trapped in cycles of depression. Yes, there are medications that will help you a lot, but there is no way to tell how long it will take for you to feel better. That can happen fairly quickly. But some of the deep issues that brought you to this level of unhappiness may have been building over many years. Just don't be afraid to do something positive about it. You can feel better. Life can be a good place to be. Talk to people you trust. Get up and get moving. You will be much better. You will see.

Answer 6

1) yes, i think it is normal to have ups and downs with depression
2) a family doctor can indeed prescribe antidepressants to you
3) you must have a prescription
4) It can be temporary or life long- depending on your situation. it is an individual thing..... keep this in mind. Taking med's for depression is unbelievably helpful! Your life will get sooooo much better- it may take up to six to eight weeks to feel the full effects of the med's. You will need to be patient.
5) There are many, many different med's out there- your doctor will be able to prescribe what is best for you according to your age, level of depression, etc. Go to the doctor tomorrow- don't waste another day! Good luck!

Answer 7

1) yes, 2) yes, 3) yes, 4) doesn't have to be life long therapy you can improve, 5) ask your doctor...there are several kinds and for different reasons.

I suggest you first get some sunlight as you may be lacking some vitamins. Then take some multiple vitamins (vitamins and minerals combined). Then get some exercise (walking or playing games, sports are good). Then form for yourself a group of friends you can call on to do different things you enjoy. Build up your ego by patting yourself on the back for the good things you've done in life so far. Take honey on a regular basis and fish oil (any kind of fish will do). Eat a lot of fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. If none of that works, then go see a doctor.

Answer 8

this is if you are not a teenager(you know the whole hormone thing can drive anyone batty:)
1)yes, it can fluctuate depending on the seasons(fall, winter is especially bad for some because it gets dark sooo early, the weather is crappy most of the time), stress can also be a BIG factor(learning how to manage it without letting it get you down), there are different reasons for different people.
2)yes, talk to your doctor, there are alot of new medications out today.
3)yes
4)depending on the person. if these feelings just started and there has been alot of stuff happening that is causing you alot of stress, it could be temporary-maybe just find someone to talk to( a support group or counsellor)
5)i cant tell you that, talk to your doctor.
good luck and take care of yourself-youre NOT alone

Answer 9

Depression, unfortunately, does have its ups and downs and once you are diagnosed with it you can have flare-ups from time to time. You can start with your family doctor and they may or may not prescribe you something or instead they may refer you to counseling or to a psychiatrist. Usually you would not need to be on pills for the rest of your life (and it's not good to be). But just know that they only take the edge off of your depression or your problems, they are not the 'cure.' You also need to have a support system in place with family, friends, counselors and try to keep yourself as busy as possible with work or volunteer or just go out and shop so you're not thinking about your problems all the time. Good luck!

Answer 10

1 - 3 are all yes.
4 depends on the type of depression.
5 only your doctor can tell you that. Some meds work great for people while do nothing for others. It is trial and error until you get the right one. Try vit B and B12, all vit Bs are good for depression. And take a multi vit.