Have I hit rock bottom and how do I get out of it?!?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Yes, go to a different doctor.

Meanwhile, are you making the lifestyle changes that are necessary to help cope with depression?

Get healthy sleep. Stay on a routine, with regular bedtime and rising time. Leave yourself enough time to get a good night's sleep. Avoid naps. Find out if you snore or have apnea, and if so, get it treated. If you have allergies, use sinus rinses, allergy meds and nose sprays to keep your breathing clear.

Get plenty of the different types of exercise, every day -- stretching exercise, aerobic exercise and strength training. The endorphins will help with your mood.

Eat healthy. Avoid sugar and simple carbs (cause sugar highs and lows). Make sure you get plenty of lean protein and fresh fruits and veggies of all varieties, and plenty of fiber. Simple constipation has a subtle but negative affect on mood. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine.

Try supplements like 5HTP and fish oil to help stabilize mood. Read about stress and anxiety and learn what supplements and lifestyle changes help.

Maintain a balance in your life. Eat healthy, but allow yourself the occasional treat. Work hard, but leave time to rest and relax. Get some time alone, but also get out and see some friends on occasion.

Maintain your personal boundaries. Avoid people and situations that stress you where possible. Try to trim back your commitments wherever possible and don't take on anything new. If you are working, see if you can cut back your schedule just a bit. If you have too many classes, consider dropping one class, so you can devote more effort to the others. Examine your time and energy like it was a household budget, and see if there is wastage that you can cut back.

Try some stress management treatments. Self hypnosis was VERY helpful for me in reducing stress and improving mood. Consider massage, to help reduce physiological stress that can translate into mental stress. Try a little feng shui. Are your surroundings conducive to relaxation? Are there things in your bedroom that make you want to stay busy instead of sleep like your desk or a TV? Consider moving it somewhere else so that your bedroom is a place of rest. Are your surroundings cluttered and messy and disorganized? Try to create a calm, peaceful, relaxing oasis for yourself. Use aromatherapy and music therapy. Schedule a little time for a hobby like art or music. These activities are used as therapy for psychiatric patients because they are helpful in reducing stress and expressing feelings. Laughter is good medicine. Find something to laugh at several times a day.

Address your problems directly. Is there something that is bugging you? Something that you worry about or wish you could fix, that keeps nagging at you? Take action, and put it to rest.

Consider seeing a counselor. A counselor can help you with developing personal boundaries, and looking at your commitments in a new light to see if you are spinning your wheels in some areas of your life.

Don't give up. Between a new psychiatrist and counselling and some lifestyle changes, I think there are many more things you can do to feel better.

PS: Light exposure is a treatment for seasonal affective disorder - depression that gets worse in winter, and there is something called transcranial magnetic therapy. As a last resort, some states allow the use of electroshock therapy. It does work, but causes seizures during the treatment and can cause temporary or permanent memory loss. I think you have a lot of options before you get to that point, but it is another treatment alternative for depression.

mental illness runs in my family. Simply seeing a doctor is not sufficient. When you are coping with a chronic mood disorder, you have to learn strategies for coping and adjust your lifestyle.

There is a feedback loop between the mind and body. If the mind feels bad, you can improve mood by making the body feel good.

Sophie, it sounds like you need to see a different doctor. If this one isn't helping you, see a different one. If the next doctor doesn't help either, go see another one. There are many treatments out there for depression; you don't have to suffer like this. In the meantime, look up Psalm 34:18 in your Bible - I find it very encouraging. Peace and a hug to you, Sophie.

yes if your feeling this bad and it sounds as if its severly affecting your life now socially and achademically then you need to go back to the doctors i agree with the previous answer -about seeing a different doctor as the one you went to see dosen't really sound like he understands your situation explaine how you've been feeling to a different doctor - good luck

Hi,

You are very smart for seeking help from your Doctor and your Doctor let you down. Seek another for help. You can also take a look at the site below; it may answer a lot of your questions. Take care and I wish you good health!

http://www.stressgroup.com/abcscrashcour…

you need to go see a psychiatrist for a diagnosis and treatment. he/she will be a better help to you than a regular doctor. i see one for severe depression plus other mental health issues. please for your sake ASAP.

personal experience.

find a small recovering church people who are addicted to many different things, an alternative church. share with them your depression they will help you. also there are lots of 12 step groups like aa, and co dependent, emotions anyomous, etc good luck friend hang tuff!

I agree, wholly, with Margaret K.....Find a different doctor! There's ALWAYS help....

me

Go back to the doctor and let him know that you need a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist (depending on whether you need medication or not) and do not hasten to do so. The longer you wait, the more serious this situation is going to become.

You did not say whether this doctor was a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist or internist. If he is a psychiatrist, you really do need to change doctors for a second opinion.

It is just possible that another doctor would be able to treat the symptoms you are currently experiencing and help you get back to your previous level of excellence in school.

It does sound like you have depression but when you say go back to your doctor does that mean like medical doctor because they can't really help you only a psychologist or some therapist can help you there medical doctors don't really help you with emotion problems and yes I do think you should see a a Dr in therapy ignoring it or just brush it off from just stress is bad trust me when I say if you don't get help your life will just go down further than you imagined possible the faster you get help the easier your life is going to be and if it really is just stress still go to a therapist cause they will help you deal with that stress on how to handle it if its more they'll help you too

If you don't know where to start one good place is too start with a school therapist or councilor they'll help you on where to go and what to do plus let your parents know as well

If you have any other questions or just need to talk for some advice email me at Dee_jay7200@hotmail.com