Depression Support Group

I've had a depressed feeling for almost 4 years now...it's almost always there. It'll go away for a few hours and then it always comes back. My best friend is on anti-depressants and she swears I should be. But...I am really against taking medication for it. I personally do not want to rely on medication to fix my mood. However, lately things have gotten worse. One horrid thing after another keeps happening and I'm starting to feel like I'm drowning in hell. So my question is how do I know I'm depressed? How do I know I need to get medication or help?

Depression is different for everyone. I have suffered with it for about 17 years now. For me I just didn't feel "right" everyone around me would be so happy and I would feel like I was stuck in a fog. I was sad, angry and lonely allthough I had a lot of loving caring people around me.

If you are not sure if you're depressed I would try seeing a counselor or a therapist. They don't all just want to give you medication. Personally I tried all kinds of medications, because a doctor suggested them or someone I knew thought they where great! Finally about two years ago I decided I wanted to be med free ( i was on anti-depressants at the time) and found a therapist who understood and worked with me to get off the medication and learn ways to cope without it!! Im not going to lie and say things have been amazing since then, depression is a constant battle for me, but I am proud to say I have been med free, and I am able to deal with my depression without the medications. It's a struggle but one Im willing to do!!

However because I choose to be med free doesn't mean I am against others using medication, sometimes its necessary. I would recommend finding a therapist and being up front that you want to avoid meds and try to go from there.

I hope this helps and I am glad you found us.

Best Wishes

Seeing a counsellor, or even a GP (at least here in Australia) would be the right way to go. There are a bunch of tests which are able to test whether you are depressed, or whether you're just stressed or feeling down as a normal reaction to your situation. It's also important to remember that a diagnosis doesn't mean you have to take any meds at all. There are plenty of other solutions out there, and your treatment is ultimately up to you.