<p>I use counseling therapy but it has not helped me too much, though I am using one free in my college rather than professional in a clinic that cost lot of money and is not covered by insurance at all. I think my counsellor have been very passive in helping me solving problems and I feel my doctor (recommended me SSRI) who does only internal medicine was able to tell me more helpful tips about my relationships or friendships in one day than my psychologist every week during past 4 months. During my counseling sessions things were not really improving and just getting worse. Now he told me that he will be more “direct” and use “experiment” at some “greater risk” (I don’t know what that means).</p>
<p>The combination of counselling and anti-depressants helped me tremendously.</p>
<p>The drugs do not solve any problems, of course. They get you to a place where you CAN work on solving them. That’s where the counsellor comes in. If you’re not working well with your counsellor, get another one. It’s sort of like colleges, there has to be a “fit.”</p>
<p>Therapy is often about making a good connection between therapist and patient. If you are not finding that, perhaps you could speak again to your doctor, if for nothing else a referral to another therapist within the system.
and if you don’t know what something the therapist says means: ask, it is their obligation to explain to you.</p>
<p>While you may feel these drugs have helped you, it is much more likely that you are just a anxious person and the placebo effect is what is making you feel better. The pill is simply acting as a safety net, in which you feel protects you from your experienced low. </p>
<p>You are also 100% correct that people are helped by anti-depressants. The problem is omega 3 fish oil, St. Johns Wort, SAM-e and even just regular exercise have a equal or greater healing ability compared to synthetic pharmaceuticals. </p>
<p>Most people on this forum minus the parents and counsellors is 16-25, and just by this thread many of us have taken or do take synthetic pharmaceuticals. We need to ask ourselves why? Do you really believe your brain is messed up? Do you believe you have a disease of the mind?</p>
<p>I certainly don’t. Life can get tough sometimes, and we need to learn how to deal with different elements of life. We cant always go and reach for some pill to try and cover our problems, we instead need to solve the problem. A healthy 16-25 year old should not needed to take daily medication, unless it is for a know disease such as HBP or diabetes. Depression, Anxiety/Panic and OCD are disorders and not disease. Contrary to what psychiatrists and the big pharma companies would like you to believe, there is absolutely scientific zero evidence that shows that any of the above disorders are disease, and no evidence to even state that what these medications claim to do, is what is the actual cause of the disorders. What I am trying to say is that a SSRI’s claim to inhibit the re-uptake of the 5-HT neurotransmitter, has absolutely no known link to any of the disorders. The science shows that SSRI’s have about the same effectiveness as a placebo, in double blind trials. Omega 3 Fish oil has at least that and more, with no side effects. St. John Wort is at least at that with mild stomach side effects. </p>
<p>The Psychotherapist should not be seen at a school, most of them are not MD’s or PHD’s and are instead students. Go see a real doctor. Now as for if you go yo see a Psychiatrist or psychologist. Answer the following question and we will see where you should go.</p>
<p>Do you believe your brain is defective/diseased?</p>
<p>If yes see Psychiatrist
If no see Psychologist.</p>
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<p>I dont remember exactly, but if you buy or rent the book Prozac Backlash by Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, its all in there.</p>
<p>This is nothing to play around with. Listen to your physician. Another good option would be to ask your physician for a referral to a psychiatrist in your area for a mental health evaluation. </p>
<p>Medication will help. The problem is that you may go through an initial period of trial and error regarding which medication works best. If you don’t get a good response with one, the doctor may suggest trying a different medication. This is very common. </p>
<p>After finding the correct medication and dosage, your life will not be more complicated. Do not take what Dr. Horse posts as the gospel of mental health. He’s nothing more than an internet stranger giving his opinion. One should not pick and choose sources of information. </p>
<p>I suggest you follow up with your physician. Possibly ask for a referral to a psychiatrist for a more in depth mental health evaluation. If medication is strongly suggested, give it a try with the knowledge that if one doesn’t work, a different one may. Good luck and definitely follow up on this. Good/clear mental health is just as important as good physical health.</p>
<p>you should find a good doctor or therapist in the field and follow the advice. That person will diagnose you and prescribe what you need. Not a GP etc… You should get a therapist , and that person (if not liscensed to prescribe) will refer you to someone who will. Agree with Lasma- I have seen SSRI’s help many people. Everyone has different brain chemistry based on genetics. life experiences and it is not right for people to generalize. A traumatic event can alter you r brain chemistry and through therapy and meds(can be taken short term). a person can recover. It is exhausting to try to overcome this all by yourself. Mental health issues carry such a stigma and it should not be that way, they are as real a having pnuemonia or anything else physical. Definately do anything you can do from a physical realm, get exersize , eat well, etc… But seek help it is worth it and you will get better. Have Hope.</p>
<p>What exactly makes Dr. Joseph Glenmullen right and everyone else wrong?</p>
<p>Research indicates that the best way to treat depression is a combination of therapy and antidepressants.</p>
<p>My advice is get your meds from a psychiatrist since such a person is a physician. Since psychiatrists don’t have the time now (due to managed care) to do therapy (After your initial visit, your psychiatrist is likely to see you only for about 10 mins. each visit, and will check only on the effects of the medication) , see a licensed social worker or clinical psychologist for your therapy. </p>
<p>After a lifetime of battling depression including through therapy, I finally got in antidepressants 3 years ago. After I got up to the recommended treatment doseage (It’s typical for psychiatrists to start patients on meds by their taking a low level, and then to slowly work up to the recommended treatment), my life totally changed. </p>
<p>I still have normal lows, but those are normal lows due to life events. They aren’t horrendous lows that seemed to have no triggers. I no longer am virtually always depressed. I no longer constantly feel like life isn’t worth living. I’ve never had so many friends in my life, and I’ve never been as socially active.</p>
<p>I do NOT suggest that you take the pills the doctor at the hospital gave you since you won’t be seeing that person on an ongoing basis. I do suggest that you start seeing a psychiatrist for meds, and a licensed social worker or psychologist for your therapy. Whatever you need to pay to do this will be worth it because having a good life without depression is priceless.</p>
<p>Look, i have tons of experience with anti depressants. I think that’s an ugly name. I would always call them anti suicide pills.</p>
<p>The thing is, they do work efficiently and are healthy for you, if you are sincerely diagnosed as clinically depressed (Major Depression). It’s a neon green laser between being depressed, and being diagnosed with Major Depression.</p>
<p>Judging by your post, tbab, you might be seriously depressed. I recommend following your MD’s suggestion and trying out the medication. What’s important is that you make the decision about whether you think it’s helping or not. Like another poster tried, there may be trial and error involved.</p>
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<p>That’s a load of fiction. I HATE when people cite “almost all research”. What the hell is that? It’s nonsense because what you’re saying isn’t true. I’ve seen the product of simultaneous medication and therapy, and the claim that it’s “almost always” a bad idea is in the complete wrong direction.</p>
<p>First of all I dont want anybody to take what I say as gospel, in fact Id rather you didn’t believe me and instead did your own researcha nd made your own conclusions.</p>
<p>When folks say “Listen to your physician.”, its a double edge sword. Most doctors do want to help their patients but most graduate from medical school and never again read research papers and new cutting edge science/medicine. So we have to ask ourselves, how does a doctor lets say a General Practitioner keep up with new medications. The truth is, they don’t. Most GP’s and other doctors completely rely on Pharmaceutical reps to come to their offices and give brochures. The doctors then base their judgments blindly on the brochures, as well as those reps taking them out to dinner and stuff. Though most doctors if they really went in and read the research papers and spent the time they are supposed to on their job, they likely would go other routes.</p>
<p>Just read how these drugs get onto the market. Its about as corrupt as we can thing of. </p>
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<p>Well he is a instructor at Harvard and when you read his books you will notice he uses science to make conclusions. Such as in his pratice he will prescribe a SSRI, but just as a safety net for a patient and then he tries to get them off of it as fast as possible. He thoroughly looks at both sides of the story and presents it to the reader. So its not that he is right and everybody else is wrong. Its that the research is right and everybody else just doesn’t read the research, so they make bad decisions. Or the patient has a hmo and their insurer pushes pills, in which the doctor must oblige. </p>
<p>Id like for everybody to read his books, they surly helped me.</p>
<p>Just a tip for everybody. Take at least 1G of pure Omega 3 oil per day. Make sure the DHA + EPA = 1G.</p>
<p>Amitryptoline, an old line anti-depressant which is sometimes prescribed in small doses (20mg/day) for non-pain migraine symptoms can turn teenagers into raving maniacs while their systems adjust to it or about 3 weeks. Hell on earth.</p>
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<p>So they are healthy for you, but they rot out your brain and basically kill 5-HT receptors along the way, only to not help you in the long run. You will end up older and have a ridiculously high chance of parkinsonisms. You also have a high chance of suffering Dyskinesia, which is also quite common. </p>
<p>The product is based soley on the placebo effect. Correlation doesn’t mean causation. Howe do you blindly accept a drug works, where there is 0 yes ZERO scientific evidence it does so. Show me research that shows SSRI or MAOI prescription when teamed with psychotherapy is more effective than just standalone psychotherapy. You wont find it, theirs a reason for it.</p>
<p>"Actually almost all research shows that the combination of drugs and therapy only hinders the process, compared to therapy alone. "</p>
<p>Not true at all. In addition to my personal experience with therapy and therapy and medication, I also have a doctorate in clinical psychology and practiced as a clinician. The research – which the OP can look up – indicates that therapy and medication is the most effective treatment for depression. </p>
<p>Someone who’s extremely depressed may be too depressed to be able to focus and otherwise participate in therapy in an effective way.</p>
<p>OP, please get advice from psychiatrists/licensed social workers or psychologists whom you see in real life. Don’t rely on a message board for advice on such an important concern.</p>
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<p>Oh my god, man…</p>
<p>You’re glib.</p>
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<p>Id like for you to show me any scientific evidence that shows this? I have taken both pharmacology and abnormal psychology where both went over this in detail. Along with my own research, I am quite confident the research stacks in my favor. </p>
<p>I agree that a anti-depressant should be used for somebody who is extremely depressed, but it is only used as a safety net. Once the patient no longer needs that net it should be taken away. Research shows that patients while in therapy are much more likely to succeed then if they are in therapy with the medication. The chance of relapse is over 85% greater if that patient were to take the medication with therapy, compared to therapy alone. </p>
<p>While you very well may be a Doctor, I ask you as a man of science to look at the science and base your findings on that. Listening to Pharma companies blinding is foolish. Like I have said before, do not take what I am saying seriously. If you think its possible that I am right go do the research, take the classes I mentioned, etc.</p>
<p>Northstarmom–excellent information. I’m a clinical social worker and I echo Nsmom’s recommendations.</p>
<p>If you are having suicidal thoughts, please be sure to let your parents and/or doctor know…they can help you find a therapist who you can talk with and together you can determine what would be best for you right now. </p>
<p>to the cc’ers on here arguing about efficacy of meds–frankly it is a moot point. the op needs help and the doctor she saw recommended medication. I don’t think discrediting this is what the op needs right now.</p>
<p>So we blindly trust doctors now?</p>
<p>Dr Horse, is this helping you in some way? I hope so, because otherwise, I do not think this is the appropriate forum. There are better places for this.</p>
<p>I am saying these things because I have personal experiences with the matter and I wish somebody would have told me this stuff earlier. If when at your doctors office you see pharmaceutical reps coming in, id get up and walk out and find another doctor.</p>
<p>So please recognize that one difference between patient and “Doctor” is, when someone comes to you for help, as presumably this poster is, it is not about YOU, and what you wish had happened for YOU. It’s about listening to the patient, and thinking about what would be LEAST harmful, and then, most helpful.</p>