<p>It’s important for you to touch base with a professional in the mental health field as soon as possible, so that they can see what is going on and guide you in what to do next.</p>
<p>Speak to your parents about this and get their financial support and guidance (assuming your relationship with them is at least minimally positive). You want to do this right, and not cut corners. </p>
<p>You want a medical doctor, a psychiatrist, to evaluate your situation properly and carefully and then closely monitor your health while you are under his or her care. Psychiatric medications are not to be taken lightly, particularly for someone in your age group. </p>
<p>While you are waiting for the appointment with a psychiatrist, a psychologist is someone you should be able to access very quickly (either through your counseling center or privately nearby). </p>
<p>Spend some time on a search engine looking at the credentials of psychiatrists who are both close to your school (or at your school) and covered by your insurance. You could start with your health insurance company for this. Maybe your parents could also help in the selection, or maybe they could take care of this part for you.</p>
<p>I am sure I do not need to tell you this, but I will say it anyway. Go immediately to the counseling office if you feel that your situation is any way unsafe. If they are closed, talk to your RA or another trusted person if waiting is unwise.</p>
<p>Be very weary of people who prescribe medications without doing thorough testing first (unless it is deemed that waiting could be harmful to you, because in that case something may need to be done right away). You and your parents will be filling out questionnaires about the present and the past, so that a trained set of eyes can closely investigate what might be going on (and have a reasonable chance of nailing a diagnosis and medication match). So basically, this could take a little time before you get everything you need. </p>
<p>Usually after finding a good psychiatrist, you have to get an appointment. That can take a while (a month or two, or more). You may want to inquire of his office if there is someone else who you can call to do the testing. Some licensed psychologists do neuro/psych evaluations, and that can speed up the process. Of course, getting an appointment with those folks can take time as well.</p>
<p>BTW…Psychiatrists are usually doing medication management. Psychologists and licensed counselors are the ones you typically go to for counseling and testing (cognitive behavior therapy and that sort of thing).</p>
<p>Do not doubt that counseling can be very effective. You just have not found the right person or process to match your particular challenges. Don’t give up. There are problems that can be helped by medication that counseling could not improve, and there are also situations where medication is useless and counseling is a proven help. In a lot of diagnoses, both are needed for optimal outcomes. Go see some good professionals and hear what they have to say.</p>
<p>One more thing…While you are taking care of yourself by getting professional help, you can probably elevate your mood and energy through daily exercise (with a doctor’s approval), healthy food choices, vitamin supplements, and meditation. Don’t dismiss any of that. It works, and even if you end up on medication, it is something you always want to be doing as a part of managing your health for the long term.</p>