Are my dr and counselor right?

Question

My doctor and therapist say that i have "major depression" and that they want me to up my medication (i don't want to). But my question is - how do they know that my depression is a "major" one? It sounds very dramatic and i am having trouble believing that i have depression at all - i just think that i am very unhappy and would rather not be here. Can't you feel that way WITHOUT being depressed?

Answer 1

You're probably right. And like the idiot Roy M said, you probably are smarter than your doctors. I doubt he's really in med school.

Answer 2

Of course you can. Ask to see the test results indicating you have a chemical imbalance, then watch them scramble to come up with a convincing answer as to why there is no such thing.

Even if you are depressed you don't need to go on medication. No matter what the shrinks want you to believe there is often a very good reason why people are depressed. Get a second opinion, preferably from a psychologist or social worker.

The best thing you can do is take a solid look at your life, mind and emotions to find out what's making you unhappy. It isn't fun, because it means diving into you unhappiness rather then avoiding it. If you spend a couple weeks trying to figure it out, and don't, then you might have depression, which probably just means that you unhappiness goes so far back in time that it's become a habit. You still need to find out the original cause, which is where a good shrink comes in (unfortunately good ones are hard to find).

For someone whose emotional state is making it impossible to function, medication can help them find their balance so they can start dealing with their problems. It doesn't sound like that describes you. Yes as someone said, depression can be hard to recognize, but being depressed and needing medication are not necessarily the same thing.

Answer 3

You can feel that way for a while without being depressed for example if youve had a bad time, or bad experience, but if it last for longer than a couple of weeks, or has no specific reason, then it will be diagnosed as depression. Major probably refers to the length of time youve felt that way and the depth of your emotion, or lack of it. There will probably be other symptoms theyve spotted as well.
The only way to see if they are right is to do what they say, which could take a few weeks to have an effect. If you do feel better that would be great, and if you dont you can tone down the medication again. The alternative is to stay as you are and hope it will get better. Mild depression can get better without treatment, but if youre already on medication the chances are it wont get better on its own.
What Ive had to do it the past is just trust the doctors, sometimes they are really helpful and their suggestions work. Sometimes they dont. Do you have someone who knows you really well who you can trust to tell you if they think youre depressed? I really hope you can sort it out and feel well again. Good luck.

Answer 4

Being very unhappy can be due to exernal factors in your environment such as abuse, loneliness, financial problems, etc... and everyone has bouts of unhappiness at one time or another and to varying degrees. These factors can also cause major depression if you lack coping skills. But the fact that you would rather not be here goes against the basic human instinct to survive as a species...and IS depression in a big way.

Your doctor and therapist trained for a lot of years to spot the symptoms of major depression...they are both right.

Answer 5

Hi no not really, the fact is you should try to love life and everything it troughs at you and if you dont see it that way and want to not be hear then obviously you are depresed and the fact you dont realise it is one of the reasons also. I if the have told you you need more medication then if you want a second opinion then go for it. but they know what they are on about. The thing is it takes a lot for them to actually diagnose that you have depression. I used to feel like you and was very misrable but the doctor woulndt give me no anti depressants. So im still the same today. Remember they are trying to help.

Answer 6

Oh love! Depression is a horrid thing.
By what you say 'i just think that i am very unhappy and would rather not be here' that sounds like depression (although i am definitely no expert.)
I'd imagine your doctor and therapist deal with these sorts of things regularly - so to some point you have to trust them! It's hard but start at the beginning - your journey will be hard but you will get there!!!
look at www.mind.org.uk - see if that helps!
Take care.

Answer 7

Often we are the last to recognise our own depression as being just that. Others see changes in us that we can explain away. The fact that you say you'd rather not be here is a big clue.

I had major depression but it took my GP to ask my permission to speak to my husband to make me fully realise.

Major depressive disorder, as it is known, is more than milder symptoms of feeling down, and can if left untreated get far worse.

Best wishes, hope that helped a bit

Answer 8

yeah i guess you re right. Doctors often go wrong, but according to something i read psychiatrists are the ones that do it more often. Commonly a pacient feels something is going wrong ith them, and in most cases the acept their depression problem.
Personally, if they are telling you that yours is a really "major d." and you dpn´t feel nothing that bad, then maybe you´re correct. Try healing yourself, doing things that you like: find an interesting hobby, a exhaustive sport on which you let go all the "bad thoughts" when you practice it, hang out more with friends, maybe you wanna change your music style /genre (i kinda feel like you tend more to goth bands such as black sabath, perfect circle, rage against...ect), and in that way, when you least expect it, your depression period will have ended. good luck!

Answer 9

If you are not happy with the advice you are receiving you can tell your doctor you would like a second opinion from another doctor.
Usually you can take a friend in with you but you should advise your doctor and counsellor you would like to do this before you do it.
Remember these people are professionals and they should always have your best interests at heart. So they know all the facts we on here don't. Their advice should be respected.
But to repeat you are allowed to seek a second opinion.

Answer 10

The fact that you would "rather not be here "indicates a deeper depression tan you may realise.Very often the depressed person struggles to acknowledge the depression.This in itself is a sympyom of depression.Hope this makes sense.

Answer 11

they are going by a book called the dsm-IV. it lists criteria that you meet to be diagnosed with a certain disorder. they are probably correct in their diagnosis, sometimes, we become so depressed that we start to feel normal when he are that way... we forget what it is like to feel happy. Try treatment for 6 weeks. if it doesn't make you feel better, tell your doctor that you don't think it is working and maybe you can decide on another treatment option that does not involve meds.