Depression, depression, depression.. Can you help me please?

Question

I am Bipolar. Was diagnosed at 17 years old. I'm now 30. I suffer with terrible depression but yet still hold down a full-time job. Anyway, I am on Prozac 20mg daily and I take Amitriptylne 20mg nightly. I don't know what else to do? I wouldn't think of suicide although when I'm down I do feel like why am I here? I told my b/friend last night and he said I need to see a specialist but I don't want. I saw one when I was diagnosed at 17.

Answer 1

Hi Bell! I too suffer for major depression and sum Dr.s think I am bipolar others think it's PTSD and ADHD and I also have PMDD and I have a depression they call TRD(treatment resistant depression). I have been in the hospital over 10 times I volunteered to go and I had 23 treatments of etc. I have been on EVERY anti-depressant there is out there and every mood stabilizer and every anti-psychotic med. Nothing worked hun and I was a zombie u know how depression is and I had it for 11 yrs ! the only thing that kept me alive was my therapist! U havent been since u were 17 yrs old and there has been allot of changes and allot of different techniques they use to give u relief!!! and omg they do work believe me!! u just need to shop around for the right Dr. u have to be the one to interview them coz in the end they work for you! not the other way around.I volunteered to sign myself in coz I had no hope anymore and I wanted to die but I didn't do it coz there was a spark a very dim spark in me that told me not to give up. I stayed many times in what they say is the best hospital (mental Health) in the world. and I met the top head honchos there are out there. I forgot the name of the dr.s but they specialize in the correct diagnoses and the best treatment even when all else has failed. I was on 7 meds and they took me off all of them and put me on a brand new one. it was called Abilify!!!! it's actually a anti psychotic. but they noticed it was working for people who weren't getting a response from their anti-depressants and it was also working on peoples moods.and YUP I am almost depression free the only symptom i have is I am tired all the time but that's not the Abilify.But dam I would rather be a little tired instead of walking around like I was dead inside.Please I tell u all this because I want u too see there is hope out there lots of it!!!!!  I am sorry this note was so long but very quickly wanted to say I am soooo proud of you and have so much respect for you coz u work full time!! omg girl I couldn't do it I had to quit my job and college but I am going back to college to further my career in Mental Health strange isn't it? lol if u ever want to e-mail go right ahead I also have sum websites I wanted to share with you coz they are soooo good and they tell u all the studies out there for depression and bi-polar and the new meds coming out but that is if u want them. take care Bell and God Bless u!! ☺

Answer 2

Your brain was very different at 17 than it is now at 30. You were still in puberty, your life was different. It's entirely possible that your brain chemistry may require a different approach now that you're older.

I'm not going to tell you that you should stay on or get off the meds - only you can make that choice. But you have to do SOMETHING. Please see a specialist. Having seen one 13 years ago isn't helpful to you now.

Answer 3

Exercise, exercise, exercise.

Answer 4

Specialists have changed,Promise..

Answer 5

the h**l with tom cruise and his bs. ive had depression for a while and it got soooo much worse after i had my daughter. im seeing a specialist who put me on 150 mgs of zoloft daily. i also have insomnia and take meds for that, which also have anti depressant qualities. i also take better care of myself, so i feel a ton better. but, i dont plan on stopping the meds until i feel good and ready. i would say go see a specialist. im so glad that i did :)

Answer 6

If you keep saying you are depressed, you will be depressed. Happiness is a choice; get off the meds. and CHOOSE to be happy.

I was in a depression for 2 years, like 20 some years ago. It was h**l. One day I got so sick of myself feeling that way, I literally pulled myself out of it by thinking positive. I'll never allow myself to 'drown in self-pity' again.

Answer 7

I think that you must need to see someone to get the medications that you do take, so therefore see that person and ask talk with them about your increased depression over this period of time.

Answer 8

Before I start all peoples opinions differ and I am not saying that I am right, however I do have considerable experience in this field and will try to help in some small way.

Firstly I do not know the ins and outs of your case/condition and therefore am going on the information that you have given in your text. To me it does not sound like you have Bi-Polar. Bi-Polar is the new name fior a condtion that used to be called manic depression. This was a condition where a chemical imbalance in the body cuased extreme eleation/mania often accompanied by delusions of grandeur and sometimes violent actions. The opposite side of this condition was a crashing depression. Individuals moods would literally "seesaw" between these two mind sates. Stability was found through medication. The medication used is called Lithium and is a mood stabiliser. This meduication corrects the imbalance and stabilises the mood. This does not sound like you, from what you have said. You sound Clinically depressed. Small doses of Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Amnitriptyline are unlikely to have any positive effect on you. You need to see someone ASAP. Don't be afraid of so called specialists, we avoid diagnosing people nowadays as a lot of the time it does no good. What you seem to need is someone to off load onto initially and then work through the core problems of your depressive behaviours and how you can break away from your curent mind set. You may also want to look at increasing/changing your medication. I can recommend a short course of CBT, which I have seen great success when used with those with enduring depression. There is also a new therapy called NLP (not sure of the correct name).

Best Wishes and all the best to you.  

Answer 9

Hi there,

You shouldn't be just taking medication.

Studies show that medication alone does not work. This is because it doesn't treat the root cause of your depression. Medication cannot get into your head, see what caused your depression and what makes you sad and make it go away. All it does is raise your 'happy hormone' (serotonin) level which makes you happier more than you used to be. But this is artificial.

What you really need is therapy. You need Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which was shown to cure depression and anxiety in 80% of cases when used with medication at the same time.

What CBT does is it challenges beliefs that make people depressed. E.g. The therapist will set 'homework' to go to the movies with friends to challenge the perception the depressed person has that life is always miserable.

It is about challenging the dysfunctional beliefs that person holds about life and the way it works.

It is very effective.

I urge you to go back to your doctor and request that you be given the therapy you should have been offered when you were younger.

I think it's appalling that you've just been able to take your medication since 17 and not see a therapist, this is not your fault, it's a fault of the system. You deserved a better chance than they gave you, so go back to the doctor and tell him straight what you want.

It really will help you.

Good luck.

Answer 10

I largely agree with Stephy, but I am afraid I have to disagree concerning the likelihood of CBT 'curing' depression.  As a psychotherapist, I see all too many people suffering from depression who have been through a 'course' of CBT, thought things were better, but discovered within a year or so that the underlying problems remained exactly the same.  CBT offers great techniques for things which work really well when you're in a good enough space.  The problem is that it addresses precisely nothing about the underlying stuff, the relational stuff (and all humans are relational) etc, and so people than land on the doorsteps of people like me.  

There are no quick fixes in this field.  Medication and CBT are attempts at quick fixes and have their uses, but if you want long-term change, try psychotherapy.  You need to find the right therapist, and most certainly someone who is very fully trained, qualified, registered, etc, with experience in working with depression.  

You've done fantastically well to manage things and keep a job.  I think it would be worth seeing whatever specialist, because you are not obliged to do anything they say - you can just find out.  Personally, a referral for proper psychotherapy would seem the way to go.  In the UK, this is pretty hopeless most of the time because there are so few psychotherapists working in the NHS and people get offered such short-term work as a result (it drives the psychotherapists to distraction!).  I don't know enough about the US situation and medical insurance and what you get.  But please, don't just go on suffering - see what can be done.  Paying for a therapist would be a good investment if it means you can feel truly alive and enjoying it.

Answer 11

don't listen to the people who are telling you to get off the pills. you need to be wound off them, you can't just come off them immediately. you'll go crazy. you need to go onto a lower dose each time. anyway back to the question, i suffered from depression last year, so i know how it feels like. i never suggested suicide to myself but did always think ''why am i here? what is the point of me being here? all i get is constant nagging from others..''

i started seeing a specialist, and trust me, its much, much better. they seriously help you through step-by-step!

good luck

Answer 12

Do something that makes you happy, like something youve never done. Maybe go on a holiday. PRAY! works for me lol

Oh yeah and doctors diagnose you with heaps of **** but if you want to be happy you can be, personally i think deppression is a huge placebo and YES i have been "depressed" and got rid of it just by thinking happy

Answer 13

Your diagnosis was 13 years ago.  More is known today in this field than when you were 17.  Also...who diagnosed you and how?  

I know seeing a specialist can be scary at first...and...more importantly, it can be difficult to find a GOOD specialist...but, it is worth the search.  I inherited the tendency toward mild depression and have seen many therapists over the years...I found one who was REALLY good and he made a WORLD of difference to my life.

If you have health insurance, DO schedule an appointment for a mental health check-up.  You owe it to yourself to get out of your depressive state and enjoy life.  Good luck to you.

Answer 14

Maybe you should go back to see a specialist. It has been an awfully long time since you saw a professional about your problems and maybe you didn't really deal with the root cause of your depression back then. Like someone else said, therapy has changed a great del, maybe there's something that will help you a lot more now.

Embrace your inner sunshine! Take care!!