Treatment advice

[debsg]

I have been struggling a bit recently and have decided to make an appointment with my GP, I am nervous about going as I don't want to take anti depressants again as I don't think they have helped with the underlying issues - I would like to go for counselling but am nervous about going to the GP and discussing this - does anyone have any advice on how to go forward with this. Thanks.

[Stilltrying_]

How about explaining exactly what you have told us here? He/she may try and persuade you to try anti-depressants again. If so just agree but say "And also I would like you to look into counselling for me. Can you explain to me how I can get some counselling as I really feel there are issues to talk over that medication in itself will not help resolve"

You could write down what you want to say if you are the kind of person that gets tongue tied. Just stick to the one point about the counselling and double check when you leave what action has been taken. Check has a referral been made and how will you be contacted about it and how long is that likely to be. If you are not happy or don't get the results you want go back and ask again but it should be ok as long as you are clear what you want.

Some areas of the country do have some free or low cost counselling to which you can self refer. Many mental health organisations for example will take self referrals without you even going to a doctor.So it may be worth you looking that up on the internet or looking out for posters. Don't know if you have MIND in your area or Action on Depression (Scotland) but they can often direct you to suitable places as well. Best of luck.

[debsg in reply to Stilltrying_]

Thanks - I hadn't thought about self-referring - that's a good option if things don't go well at the doctors.

[ThemysciraDrive]

Hiya. Sorry you're going through a tough patch at the moment.

Statistically speaking, the most successful treatment is a combination of meds and therapy. You're spot on that med generally deal with immediate physical causes of depression, not the underlying emotional ones. But they may help stabilise you.

Therapies then build on that by looking at underlying side, a more long term treatment to stop you relapsing.

I would just go and say what you've said on here. Ask to be referred for counselling/therapy because you feel the underlying issues causing you to feel down are still there. I would consider taking ADs as a stabilisation thing while you go through therapy. That worked brilliantly for me. But everyone's different so best to go with what you feel will help.

Good luck, let us know how you're getting on

Themys

[debsg in reply to ThemysciraDrive]

Thanks for your advice - I feel more confident now about going to the doctors ago talk about counselling - if there is a long waiting list then medication may be needed to keep myself afloat in the meantime as I have had problems in controlling emotional outbursts of crying.

[Photogeek]

Hi there I think it's good that you made appt. With GP. I would tell then

Exactly what you told us here. Remember too it's often takes a while to find the right

Antidepressant to suit us. It can take time, ask too about therapy and .Is there any way that

You could find a local support Group to help you. try not to project too much into the future, stay focused on what you can do now to help yourself.

Hugs

Hannah

[Hidden]

Say exactly what you have said in your question and your GP will hopefully be supportive and refer you for counselling or deeper therapy depending upon the kind of issues you need to discuss. Suex

[Suzie40]

I completely agree with Themys, for me it has been a combination of the two that has worked. You have to be in the right place for counselling to be effective. The first time I tried counselling, some years ago, I wasn't taking antidepressants and I was just too depressed to accept what she was trying to do to help me. This time round I took meds for about six months prior to counselling starting and the result was 100,000 times more successful x

[Stilltrying_]

Wow that's a lot of times Lucy ! X