Undecided on what course of action I should take..

[eh96]

Hello, my name is Edin and I’m new to DailyStrength. So basically last month, just a few days before my 24th birthday, I sent a text to a friend telling her that I was contemplating suicide and didn’t feel like I wanted to live anymore and she called the cops and they took me to a clinic for a mental health assessment at 2 in the morning. They suggested I go see a psychiatrist and take medication to help me with my depression and anxiety (I may even have bipolar but I’m honestly not sure). Anyways at first I accepted that I need to go for my own good as well as those around me because I’ve been feeling very depressed for over 7 years now and while the suicidal thoughts come and go, they still linger back at some point even after they go away for a while.

But then while I was looking for a good psychiatrist, I started questioning whether I wanted to go down the route of taking medication at such a young age and potentially having to do so for the rest of my life to keep my depression and anxiety issues at bay and I started to wonder whether the issue could be solved naturally instead. I’ve had digestive issues, adrenal fatigue, vitamin deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances as well so I keep thinking if I can resolve these problems then maybe I can control my depression and anxiety better without the need for medication. But at the same time it’s hard to make the changes necessary to improve my life naturally because I feel so down every day and find it hard to get any sustained interest in daily activities and life so I don’t know how I can pull it off. Even something as simple as cleaning my room or taking care of my hygiene is a real chore to get me to do, that’s how low my interest in daily life is lately. I’m not against medication but I’m not entirely sure either whether or not it’s the right course of action to take or if I just need to push myself harder to make those natural changes happen and maybe results will come over time without the need for them.

What do you guys think? Any of you been in a similar situation before and what did you do if you were?

[argh52]

You wouldn't try to will yourself out of diabetes or a broken bone, you would consult a doctor. The diseases we have are the same way. You can't will yourself out of being sick. I would encourage you to get help.

[lweade]

What I can tell you from my experience is 24 is when my depression kicked in and I went to a counselor for 1 year and things didn’t get better. That’s when medication was the game changer for me. For 10 years I fought depression and had a relapse almost 2 months ago. I switched meds and I’m still fighting day to day.

With your history I would visit your GP and have a physical, blood panel, etc. and test for deficiencies or unbalanced hormones bc, yes sometimes this tuff comes from those things. At the same time I would also talk to a counselor or psychologist, the ones that don’t prescribe meds, so you can gage yourself with the help of a professional. There is a professional for everyone, so if you want someone who is a little more wholistic like you’ve mentioned, I’m sure there is one.

Lastly, depression sucks! Like bad sucks! No one can see it, there isn’t a great understanding of it and it reminds me a lot of cancer. You probably would tell a person who has cancer to just get rid of all the bad stuff in your diet and exercise more and it will all go away. You would say yes to all those things AND talk with professionals. That’s what I’ve been told; that’s what I’m trying to do.

So yes, while medication at your age might be something you don’t like, this might be something you need. Find professionals you like and talk with them so they can help you navigate this difficult time.

[SunIsShining]

There is no reason for you to avoid medication, it’s just a stigma that exists but shouldn’t stop you from pursuing the help you need