Questions about clinical depression?!
Question: I have been suffering from clinical depression for two years now, yet I didn't realize that I was depressed until recently. Now I have these questions about clinical depression.
1) Who am I supposed to go see, a psychologist or a therapist? I asked my doctor and she said to see a psychologist but I peeked around this site and I noticed most people recommend seeing a therapist. Which one is it?
2) Can I ask my doctor or psychologist to put me on a certain medicine that helps with the depression and decreases my appetite (I gained a lot of weight due to the depression and now I want it off), or is it purely up to them to choose?
3) How long is treatment going to take? I've heard everything from two months to ten months.
Answers: I have been suffering from clinical depression for two years now, yet I didn't realize that I was depressed until recently. Now I have these questions about clinical depression.
1) Who am I supposed to go see, a psychologist or a therapist? I asked my doctor and she said to see a psychologist but I peeked around this site and I noticed most people recommend seeing a therapist. Which one is it?
2) Can I ask my doctor or psychologist to put me on a certain medicine that helps with the depression and decreases my appetite (I gained a lot of weight due to the depression and now I want it off), or is it purely up to them to choose?
3) How long is treatment going to take? I've heard everything from two months to ten months.
I would highly recommended a psychiatrist. They can prescribe meds and also do therapy. Treatment depends on what you are diagnosed with. And how well you respond to the treatment, Everone is different. Its worked well with me.
A psychologist is a therapist. He/she is not able to prescribe any medication because they are not medical doctors. Even if they call themselves doctor it is only because they have a PhD in Psychology, not medicine. If you want prescriptions you have to see a psychiatrist who is a medical doctor and can prescribe medication for you.
There is no "cure" for depression. It will last a lifetime and you will have to take medication for a lifetime. The choice of medication will be up to the doctor depending on what condition you have and what medication works for it.
And constantly rehashing what bothers you only keeps you from moving forward and forgetting what has happened in the past. After all you can't change anything. All you can do is learn from mistakes and move on. But that's why "treatment" for mental illness takes years. You could save yourself a lot of time and money by going into your bathroom, sitting on the toilet and telling it your problems, then flushing them all away...
1. A psychologist has to have a doctorate-level degree, usually a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. A psychologist can also be a practicing therapist. However, a person who is a therapist may only have a Master's level degree and no doctorate. The licensing requirements for a therapist vary depending on the country and/or state you live in. Psychologists who provide therapy are therapists, but not all therapists are psychologists.
2. A psychologist can only prescribe medication if he/she is also a medical doctor (MD). A psychologist has completed doctoral study in psychology, but they may not have been to medical school. A psychiatrist (yes, another word) is a person with a doctorate in mental health who has also been to medical school and can prescribe medication. If you're looking at medication for treatment, you need to talk to your doctor or a psychiatrist.
3. Treatment time varies depending on the person. Some people don't need much, other people are treated for the rest of their lives. People with depression often do well with a combination of therapy and medication.
1. A psychologist and a therapist are the samething. A psychiatrist is the one that will provide medications.
2. They will put you on the drug that is necessary for you. Anti depressants ARE NOT for losing weight.
3. Treatment can take years and may never stop.