Counselling/Medication/Depression

[Poet]

Apologies to the admins if this had already been posted.

I was just wondering what people's experiences/feelings are on counselling, medication and receiving help for their depression/anxiety.

I'm currently thinking about getting help but am worried that counselling will be useless because I've heard thats counselling isn't very useful :-/

Would just be interested in people's opinions. :-)

[Bubbles]

You really need to see for yourself,
Other peoples opinion can be so different to your own, some people work really well with counsellors others not so good.
I for one choose not to see a counsellor, I find there persistent questions aggrivating and I would rather help myself by understanding more about mental illness and using different to ways to calm myself down through writing, exercise and help others.

I would suggest to you that you maybe have a trial session and see how it goes.

Hopefully this helps you somewhat.

[The Melody of Rain]

A councillor will aid you in evaluating the root causes of your depression. If a root cause exists, with your co-operation a decent councillor will find it. I never had a root cause, which explains why I never had anything to talk about during my therapy sessions which unsurprisingly enough weren't that therapeutic at all. In some cases, as with mine, the depression can be a chemical imbalance that can eventually correct itself.

[jackson]

I agree with Bubbles. You can't just write it off, you need to give it a go. I went to group sessions a while back, the sessions themselves didn't do much for me but meeting others made me feel better.

[Robbed]

In some cases, as with mine, the depression can be a chemical imbalance that can eventually correct itself.

There is some truth in this. You have to remember that MOST anxiety sufferers also suffer from depression. In MOST situations where anxiety is the primary problem, depression is actually a side effect of the anxiety and NOT a separate disorder. This tends to happen since the anxiety state CAUSES a chemical imbalance that LEADS to depression. And once the anxiety subsides, so will the depression.

[The Melody of Rain]

I understand. Bare in mind, this was in February when I was suffering from both depression and anxiety. I have since learned that I did have a root cause, and that it wasn't chemical.

[fernandogress]

First, figure out if "depression" is the right diagnosis. Remember that feeling down, upset, or anxious is normal.Assess your mental health by using the Patient Health Questionnaire or the PHQ-9 form. This questionnaire is widely used in psychotherapy as a scale to measure depression. Provide honest answers to the questions and then calculate your score to get a diagnosis and suggested treatment.
Get depression medication, if needed. At your request or the therapist's discretion, you can be evaluated for medical treatment. Do your own research on antidepressant medication, regarding their side-effects, effectiveness, and cost. Antidepressants, such as Zoloft or Prozac, can be very beneficial in helping you cope with depression symptoms disscussed in Step 1. They can alleviate anxiety, brighten up your mood, and let you sleep more comfortably.

[fernandogress]

First, figure out if "depression" is the right diagnosis. Remember that feeling down, upset, or anxious is normal.Assess your mental health by using the Patient Health Questionnaire or the PHQ-9 form. This questionnaire is widely used in psychotherapy as a scale to measure depression. Provide honest answers to the questions and then calculate your score to get a diagnosis and suggested treatment.
Get depression medication, if needed. At your request or the therapist's discretion, you can be evaluated for medical treatment. Do your own research on antidepressant medication, regarding their side-effects, effectiveness, and cost. Antidepressants, such as Zoloft or Prozac, can be very beneficial in helping you cope with depression symptoms disscussed in Step 1. They can alleviate anxiety, brighten up your mood, and let you sleep more comfortably.

[snakeeyes148]

The counselor can do only that much for you to which you allow him/her to work on.
While most of the people suffering from mental disorders and depressions think that they are no tin charge of their life they are the real decision makers.

[Barcadia101]

You have to make your decision by your own self on that. At times small things can help big time and counselor are meant to provide you just that little spark that can burn your problems.