Where to turn now?

Mental health
1

I have had problems with anxiety and depression since i was a child. I am now 35 and my problems have got worse and worse over time. When things get bad i have always resorted to seeking medical help. Around 3 years ago i finally managed to see a psychiatrist who put me on various anti depressants and i would see him at regular intervals to see how things were progressing. Unfortunately anti depressants didnt work well. They seemed to work for the first month or so but the depression always crept back despite increasing the dosages. In the end i had been through all available medications at their maximum dosages, i had already been through CBT and counselling when i was in my 20s. Nothing has had a lasting effect. Despite my best efforts to get through this eventually the depression creeps back and i hit a real heavy low mood that puts me back where i started again.

I had to drop out of seeing the psychiatrist as i moved to a different area and had been reluctant to go back due to the fear of being given more pills that do nothing more than give me the problems of side effects (which had got me in trouble at work). This year my mental health has been bad so tried to get back to seeing a psychiatrist again only to be turned down (probably due to budget cuts) and offered medication i have already used previously, which didnt work.

I feel like im a lost cause. I have become reclusive and cant find any motivation. I live alone and dont have anyone i can talk to about it. Before my latest attemp to seek medical help i had given up and was living in a very self destructive manner, basically trying to kill myself by being very unhealthy. I have since managed to get back to being healthy on my own but this has not helped my depression problem at all.

So my question is do i have any options left other than taking medication that doesnt work for me or going back to CBT which has no lasting effect?

2

it really depends on how your general feelings and mood are in time and whether they show signs of improving.  I felt suicidal at 19 but fought through it to live on. For many meds are the answer for a few recovery is possible but it may not happen without a relapse of the illness again.  Anti depressants jobs are to make the brain function better by eliminating or blocking some substances that there may be too much of which is over working the brain.  hope this helps

Richard

3

Thanks for the reply Richard.

Im depressed the majority of the time. Usually its not bad enough to stop me getting on with my job but i go through bad weeks where i cant even leave the house. This is an ongoing problem for me, i have a bad mood crash every couple months. Its been this way for years and treatment has never been helpful in the long term. I managed to stop certain behaviours such as self harming by myself but there is nothing i can do to stop the low mood and motivation problems. Medication, CBT and councelling have all failed so im looking for another option.

4

Have you ever sat down and tried to think of 5 things that went well in your day?

5

Please try and see a psychiatrist.persuade your G.P to refer you. If they do not go and see your local MP .no one should deny you the correct help you require