H.S. Senior in need of advice on how to be motivated again

<p>Especially since some of the antidepressants have been known to be extremely difficult to be weaned off of!!!</p>

<p>Thank you all so much for your gracious responses. The encouragement is something I really needed as I was experiencing a lot of self-doubt. I read each post, and I can't thank you enough for your advice. You all must be great parents :)</p>

<p>I read the link from bbecker, and I must admit it's really eerie because the girl wants to be a doctor, and I'm hopefully entering pre-med. Knowing she got out of it is more than encouraging. </p>

<p>I'm not sure if I want to go on anti-depressants again because I really don't want to be dependent on them, but I will mention them to my doctor. Prozac seemed to make me really illogical and also sleep more, which I only realized after I stopped taking them. </p>

<p>But I have to confess that I was severely depressed my entire sophomore year and got out of it (without meds) 26 days before Katrina hit (I know this because I recently found an old diary entry written on August 3, 2005). Chemical imbalances which result in mood disorders run in my family, but my situation feels so complicated that I really don't know what to attribute it to. </p>

<p>Thanks again for the sincere responses.</p>

<p>People who have suffered from depression or other mental illness can make the very best helpers because they can empathize with the difficulties of others. Some depressions can go away without medication, some don't. I don't think anyone would want to push you into another medication trial, but it's accurate to say that if one doesn't work, another one might. Talk therapy can also be very helpful, especially cognitive behavioral therapy. I wonder if there is an on-line forum where Katrina survivors can communicate. It can be really healing to talk to people who have been through the same experience, since no one else can truly understand, try as we might.</p>