I KNOW I'm depressed... and I KNOW I need meds. How do I go about getting them? What type of doctor do i go2

Question

It's been too long... I don't have a "primary care" doctor... and I don't think I need one to get some meds to make me feel better. I need to know how to go about getting meds...........please............

and please dont tell me "oh you'll feel better..just do this and this and this..." or any comforting... it helps a bit, but that's' not what I'm asking for....

Please help me....by answering my question...

Answer 1

you may not even need meds, but a pyschiatrist or psychologist would be the one you want to see.

Answer 2

Hey there,

I think that is a great question. I think a very important question would be, Do you have insurance? I think that makes a big difference to a lot of people. If yes, you can call your insurance company and find out who can provide that service to you without you having to pay a huge copay. These days I see primary Dr.s issuing meds for depression all the time. A psychiatrist is your next best. They have gone to medical school and their focus is on psychotropic drugs. But don't expect a counselor!! They don't do that.

If you don't have insurance, then there is a mental health agency in your area. You can find it in the yellow pages. Its usually a county agency or a state agency. There you can get counseling and meet with a psychiatrist and get on a program. If you don't have alot of money, they base it on a scale.

They are going to ask you a lot of questions. Does depression run in your family, How long have you been depressed. There are virtually all differnet kinds of mood disorders and the key is to narrow it down to the one that fits your symptoms. Perhaps you can write some of your history down so you don't forget the major and important things. I hear you say that you have depressed for a long time. They need to know how long.

You can also go online to http:www.nami.com and there is alot of info on that site.

The best therapy for depression is talk therapy and or medication.

Good luck......... I hope this helps and I believe it takes a very brave person to ask the smart questions, as you have done. But, make sure you make that next step........ Call....... Knowlege is power.....

Answer 3

Although you may not need a "primary care" doctor, unless you live in one of a couple of states in the U.S. where a psychologist is able to prescribe psychiatric type medication, or go see a psychiatrist, there is no legal (or safe) way to get this type of medication. At this point in the U.S., the majority of antidepressants are prescribed by primary care physicians such as Family Practitioners or Internal Medicine specialists, and typically referrals are made to psychiatrists by the P.C.P. if the person isn't responding to treatment. You might consider the fact that not all "depressions" are best treated with medicine. Particularly the milder forms of depression may be treated sucessfully with psychotherapy alone, though sometimes a combo of psychotherapy and medication works best.

One reason to consider going to a primary care physician is the fact that that there are a number of medical problems that can cause depression.

Answer 4

you could find a primary Dr to give you the meds its cheaper or a psychiatrist can provide you with meds also but that would be more expensive. I would be afraid to try online pharmacies because you really never know what your getting, I prefer a primary Dr because they dont go into details about your depression. Best of luck :)

Answer 5

the best professional to see for psychiatric medications is a psychiatrist. They know the latest meds and can determine which might work best for you.
You need to realize that meds alone will not fully deal with your depression, behavioral therapy with a counsellor is essential to getting complete relief from clinical depression.
You also need to realize that it can take some time for the meds to have a noticeable effect, some take as long as six weeks, some work a little quicker, but all of them take some patience.

Answer 6

See a general doctor and she/he should be able to send you to someone in your area.

But don't let them use meds alone! Ask for some therapy to help you understand WHY you're depressed. I got put on meds and had no clue why I was upset. Therapy really made me understand myself. I'm not saying you won't need meds (sometimes, if it's a chemical imbalance that can be the ONLY answer!)

Answer 7

You need a family practice doctor or a clinic who can evaluate you. They can then prescribe the medication if needed. Takes about 6 weeks for meds to start having an effect.

Answer 8

You can go to your local mental health facility if you do not want to engage a primary care doctor and they can not only provide counseling but the meds if that is something that you both deem as something that would be helpful.
I myself found great help in my primary care physician...in fact as far as the medicine end, he was the most helpful to me of all..but that is just one persons experience. Get help where you feel the most comfortable but more importantly, get help.

Answer 9

The best place to start is with a doctor. If you don"t have one it is important to find one. Depression is a decease and must be diagnosed by a MD to be prescribed medication. Hope you follow through. When depressed it is often difficult to motivate oneself. Can you ask a friend or family member to help make an appointment?

Answer 10

i would suggest you go the nearest mental health in clinic in your area tell them your situation and they'll know what to do........in the mean time you can call a crisis hot-line for someone to talk to right now this is very serious and you shouldn't be down on yourself ............if you have time find a primary doctor explain all these things he'll then refer you to someone more equipped to handle the situation. the type of doctor that you probably would see would be a psychotherapist,psychiatrist etc. i wish you the very best and i hope and pray that this was helpful.....

Answer 11

You should go to a psychiatrist. They are the best at diagnosing and treating psychological problems. A psychologist gives 'talk therapy' and counseling but cannot prescribe meds.

If you go to a General Practitioner they will probably give you a sample of an anti-depressant but then refer you to a psychiatrist so you might as well go straight to the psychiatrist.