There are many different types of medication which help us with the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

[Getting-By]

What's your views on taking medication? And what other things do you find help with your depression/anxiety? eg Therapy, Meditation etc etc.

[Getting-By]

Taking medication can be scary at first especially when you read the accompanying leaflet inside which lists all the side effects. When I first started taking medication I was expecting to just wake up and feel fine but soon found out that it does not work like that.

It was a good 6-8 weeks before I started to feel my symptoms lesson and feel a little better. I did have side effects to begin with but after a few weeks the majority of them had gone. Medication has helped me manage my symptoms and I will probably be on them for a while yet.

As I mentioned the medication only helps with the symptoms so I found it very beneficial to speak with a Psychiatrist & Clinical Phycologist were I did some therapy (CBT, CAT). Through therapy I was helped to figure out what my triggers were and then taught coping strategies which I could use to bring my symptoms to a more manageable level so they did not intrude on my life so much. I am currently doing a Mindfulness course which is all about living in the moment and not worrying about the past or future.

I still have my good and bad days but I keep taking small steps and have learned to be kind to myself rather than beat myself up all the time.

I am not a doctor so these are just my personal views so it is always best to speak with your doctor re any concerns you have.

Getting-By

[Cazie50]

I feel it's a personal choice and one which with enough information on the person experiencing depression, anxiety etc. should decided. As for other useful things, I'm a fan of Reiki, Mindfulness, reducing external overwhelming stimulation, computer games.

[AoDLB]

It's definitely a personal choice but I'm against medication personally unless you've explored ALL of the avenues (self-help, communities, exercise, relaxation, boot camps, CBT, psychologists etc.). If you take medication it's fine if you have people to watch you for the first few weeks because it can worsen your depression, but also is very important not to stop taking them (because that can send you back in too).

Personally, my depression was more based on negative thoughts so the psychologist route was the one that worked, but I also visited several psychologists before I found one that helped.