
Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.

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I have my first psychiatrist's appointment for depression on Monday...what can I expect to happen?
A bit of background...I have been suffering from depression for a while, I guess, but didn't really want to admit it to myself (stupid masculine pride). I've really been sinking low lately and it feels like things have been getting out of control, so I booked an appointment.
I've been to a psychiatrist before for ADHD; however, I never really mentioned depression (bad bad, I know...this is a new psychiatrist and I'm going to be honest with him or her--and with myself--from now on).
What sorts of treatments can I expect? Antidepressants? CBT? As far as anti-depressants go, what are the good, the bad, and the ugly?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you guys so much in advance!
A bit of background...I have been suffering from depression for a while, I guess, but didn't really want to admit it to myself (stupid masculine pride). I've really been sinking low lately and it feels like things have been getting out of control, so I booked an appointment.
I've been to a psychiatrist before for ADHD; however, I never really mentioned depression (bad bad, I know...this is a new psychiatrist and I'm going to be honest with him or her--and with myself--from now on).
What sorts of treatments can I expect? Antidepressants? CBT? As far as anti-depressants go, what are the good, the bad, and the ugly?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you guys so much in advance!
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a psychiatrist is most likely going to talk to you mainly about your symptoms of depression -- which I have a list of, if you want just tell me.
ANd he/she is likely going to try mostly to determine just how depressed you are - you may be given a written exam to help determine that.
And your pdoc (psychiatrist) will give you a treatment recommendation based on what they find.
For major depression (depression that either keeps worsening or won't go away on it's own) both antidepressants and therapy are most often recommended as the most effective treatment.
As far as antidepressants go, there are four different families of them, each works a different way in the brain to increase or make more effective the use of neurotransmitters related to mood regulation (serotonin and norepinephrine)
Prozac is a very popular antidepressant because it is usually effective for mild to moderate depression, and has fewer side effects than a lot of other antidepressants. However, you tend to build a tollerance to it over time, so it is mostly useful for depression that will go away eventually.
THere are also several antidepressants within each of the four families of antidepressants, and the only way to find out which one works for you, is to try them. So it can take a while, but patience will pay off if/when you do find what works. It is also possible you may need to find a combination of two or even sometimes three at a low dose that works better than just one.
With any antidepressant, it can take a couple of weeks or even a month or two before you know exactly whether or not is going to be effective -- and some of the side effects you get at first may wear off or lessen during that time, too, so give each one you try a chance before you quit and try another one.
It can be very frustrating going through all that just to get some relief, but that is one good reason not to wait too long before you get some help. Another good reason is because, the longer you wait, the more difficult it is to get it under control.
Good luck!!!
That is what I do with my clients, and no I am not a shrink, However I do work with them and have been seeing them for many years.
Message me if you have questions I can do my best to help you.
The important thing to remember is if you don't like your psychiatrist, you can always get a new one. Sometimes it's hard, but it's important that you can relate and respect each other. It would be a shame to give up on getting help because you don't get along with your pdoc. That is my advice. The same goes for meds. If you don't like one, ask to try another. It's important to feel comfortable.
Much luck with your journey!
An assessment is like a game of "ruling out" a question of ruling other symptoms and problems to hone in on a diagnosis.
All sorts of things are important to a diagnoses like hormone issues, thyroid problems, etc. Health should also be included.
Life stressors are also important to mention to get an accurate assessment.
The assessment will only be as good and as accurate as the information that you give the assessor. And by extension, the treatment suggested is only as good as the assessment.