In need of advice.

I'm 19 and have had depression since September last year while at university and kept it to myself, until being unable to take it I got help and told my parents in Feburary getting diagnosed by a GP and being prescribed citalopram. Due to the side effects of the anti-depressants i came off them around 6 weeks in and have tried to deal with it on my own since then.

Recently I have being feeling much worse only confiding in my boyfriend and close friends. I think it has prehaps become a bit much for him to deal with and he seems bored of having the same conversations over and over again about my fears and pain that has come along with this all. He just wants me to be happy and I know he will continue to do what he can but i just want to know if anyone had advice in how I can try to speak to him about it without sounding like a broken record? Many thanks. 

Hi Laura, sorry to read that you are going through depression. Being at Uni can be stressful in itself. It's horrible to have depression at any age, but it's so cruel for it to happen when you're young. 

It's good you managed to see your GP. I put off seeing mine when I first got ill and each time the depression calls by again, I delay visiting my GP all over again.

As for your bf and friends, for people who have never experienced depression its impossible for them to understand. It can appear a very 'poor me' type of thing. Most people with depression don't feel 'upset' as the term tends to imply, but utter emptiness and feel no joy in anything. The average person just thinks the person with depression is being selfish or self pitying. Nothing could be further from the truth of course.

Maybe write him a  letter explaining how it makes you feel, and that you love him, but the illness makes everything in your life joyless. Reading what someone is going through can have a much greater affect on someone, as you can put everything down in words with out being inturpted which often happens when talking to someone. Also you have time to spend saying everything in one go.

Also show him other people's experiences of depression from forums/blogs etc, he'll see how others express the same thing as you and that clearly it is an illness and not just 'something you're going through'.

Depression can have a major affect on relationships as it zaps all the fun out of them.

I hope he does get to understand how you are suffering with this illness and is there for you to help fight it with you.

You deserve some sun to break through that dark cloud and fill your day with colour, even if for only a few moments.

Post back when you can. We're here for each other.

Hugs and wishes

Icy. x

Hi there ,am going  straight to the point !! , as i have not long ago joind this site , ( which is a great site ) they will give you great advice ,,,,pleeeezzzeee dont just ,,talk to your boyfreind and close freinds pleeeeezzzeee  talk to yr whiole family and freinds (as what a never did &#160 the more you you talk about it the better ,, go to doc and tell the truth what is actuly hapning in your life , they will help you   !!!

There are many other types of anti-d's out there that can help where Cit failed. I also tried it, but came off after 10 weeks due to side effects, likewise with Prozac (both SSRI's), but then the Dr tried me on a different family altogether, Venlafaxine (an SNRI), and this seems to have helped much more regarding side effects.

Go Back to your GP, and ask if you can try something else, no shame in taking medication