Atypical depression question?!
Question: i'm 16 and i think i have atypical depression. i read about it and i have all the symptoms
i became seriously depressed last year after being anorexic and getting dangerously underweight.after that i was hospitalized and gained most of the weight back and got healthy again then i started to feel somewhat better but i still think im depressed.
so then my parents sent me to a pyschologist who after a couple visits put me on like half a tablet of zoloft (very small dose like 100mg). i've been on the zoloft for like 2 or 3 months now. i don't think it's doing anything though, i've convinced my therapist that i'm fine and he thinks it's the zoloft but im pretty sure the real change happened when i gained weight(which was before i started on zoloft) im still mildly depressed though and i don't know what to do cuz i hate talking to people like the pyscologist and im really embarassed, but i want my depression to go away and i read zoloft doesnt help atypical depression and its not
Answers: i'm 16 and i think i have atypical depression. i read about it and i have all the symptoms
i became seriously depressed last year after being anorexic and getting dangerously underweight.after that i was hospitalized and gained most of the weight back and got healthy again then i started to feel somewhat better but i still think im depressed.
so then my parents sent me to a pyschologist who after a couple visits put me on like half a tablet of zoloft (very small dose like 100mg). i've been on the zoloft for like 2 or 3 months now. i don't think it's doing anything though, i've convinced my therapist that i'm fine and he thinks it's the zoloft but im pretty sure the real change happened when i gained weight(which was before i started on zoloft) im still mildly depressed though and i don't know what to do cuz i hate talking to people like the pyscologist and im really embarassed, but i want my depression to go away and i read zoloft doesnt help atypical depression and its not
been there!! you HAVE to tell your doctor the truth and seeing a counselor could really help. you may have to try different meds, they all do something a little different for each person. I really feel for you, I know what it's like. I've had so many people who don't even believe I'm depressed b/c I can fake it like you're faking it to your doctor. Trust me, you'll feel soooo amazing if you are on the right thing. Good luck!
i looked up atypical depression and it seems like its not all that big of a deal compared to other types. not to say that youre not experiencing anything. are you only seeing a psychiatrist or are you also seeing a therapist? maybe meds arent the route for you. maybe talking to someone is the best way to go.
If you are not comfortable with this particular psychologist, then its ok to tell them and ask if they might know someone who you would relate with better. They are professionals who are attuned to the fact that if you are not comfortable with them and are not honest, then your therapy will likely not be successful.
At the age of 16, if you are in the US, you have the right to make decisions regarding your psychological treatment, including the right to determine whether or not you want to use a particular drug. Don't be afraid to ask questions and ask for a different treatment plan if you are not comfortable with what is being done currently.
you may need to change your medication to a different kind sometimes they make you feel worse,you just have to find the best one for you.you need to let your doctor know it's not helping you now.
Why are you lying to your therapist? They can't help you if you don't give them accurate feedback on whether the drug's working or not.
There are all sorts of anti-depression drugs out there.
If your therapist knows this one isn't working, he can find one that does.
do something that generally makes you feel happy, like an event or something and emerse yourself in it. It seems like your still holding onto your past demons and you have to try your damn well hardest to let go of them. I nkow it's hard but its the best and easiest way to try and help your self without other people intervening
Hi Heather. You sound exceptionally intelligent. I would like to suggest a powerful book by Sherry Rogers, M.D. called "Depression Cured At Last". It is available at Amazon.com.
Depression, like ANY medical condition, has a cause. Something (often a combination of things) is disrupting the normal functioning of your brain's physiology and biochemistry. Dr. Rogers will take you through the many common causes of depression and how to 'find and fix' the underlying problems.
Sometimes the causes are simple vitamin/mineral deficiencies or essential fatty acid imbalances in the diet.
For others, the causes can be more complex, such as leaky gut syndrome or intestinal dysbiosis (an imbalance of the bacteria/flora living in your gut).
Food allergies, food intolerances and conditions like Celiac Disease can damage the gut (allowing toxins and even bacteria to enter the nervous system). Depression is a common consequence of these problems. (Note: your previous issues with low weight and anorexia DEMAND that your doctor test you for the very common, but rarely diagnosed Celiac Disease.)
Heavy metal toxicities, chronic infections (in the teeth, for example), and other problems are clearly discussed by Dr. Rogers.
Best wishes and good luck.
You're 16. My niece is almost twice your age, an MD, and TRAINING to be a psychiatrist. Don't try to diagnose yourself. Be open with your psychiatrist; he can't help you if you withhold information, especially information about how you feel.
There's a difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. A psychiatrist can prescribe meds and is a real doctor; the psychologist is a therapist, can't prescribe meds, and might be part of the treatment a psychiatrist prescribes. Your family doctor can prescribe meds but would do better referring you to a psychiatrist, who has specialized training that he/she doesn't have.
Atypical depression is when you sleep too much and eat too much. That doesn't sound like you. You are probably right about the reason for the change though. Additionally not trusting antidepressants tends to decrease depression. I experienced that first-hand and then saw it in a journal article. Zoloft may not help mild depression. I don't really know. It isn't your therapist's fault that he believes Zoloft helped. That is the placebo effect. Sometimes the placebo effect works on people other than the patient. Ask for a different antidepressant if you want, but I think you can now deal with things without medication. Stay healthy!