advice for getting help
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"Loren" Lore...@excite.com
I need advice on how to get help for depression more quickly than I currently am. Heres my situation. I'm currently in college and I've been depressed (sometimes worse than others) for several years; probably since my junior or senior year of high school. I've been diagnosed with clinical depression in the past by both a university psychiatrist and a neurologist who was also a licensed psychiatrist. I rejected the diagnosis both times since I felt my problem was a concurrent condition and if that was treated the depression would go away. As a result, I never stuck with antidepressents more than 3-4 weeks at a time, and changed neuros since I didn't want to be treated for depression. Since then I've realized that my depression has become an illness in itself, and is greatly affecting my school work, my cl*** attendance, and my life in general.
I finally went back to the university's psychological center and met with the on-call psychologist. She said that their entire staff was currently full for people w/ insurance who could afford services elsewhere and gave me a few names of psychologists to contact. I didn't realize at the time that she wasn't referring me to anyone who could prescribe. While I can understand their situation, I don't really like my options. The soonest I can get into a psychologist in town will be a week and a half.
I'm then going to need a referal from the psychologist to a psyciatrist, so if I just float along this path, its going to be at least 3 weeks and probably longer before I start any meds again. Since I've been diagnosed in the past, its not like I'm waiting for a whole new evaluation to find I'm depressed and the weeks of waiting to start treatment, plus the weeks it will take for any treatment to have an effect will be (for lack of a better term) academic suicide. Since I'm already on probation and I'm not sure if I can p*** my midterm tomorrow, does anyone have an idea of how I could speed things up a little bit. Sorry this was so long and any advice is appr eciated.
-Loren
"lisa in mass." mcc...@rcn.com
you should be seeing a therapist. a good one will help you to cope with the stress of being a depressed student.
for prescriptions, why not start with your school's health center? the psych center is probably just for counciling, not medication.
-lisa
"%" su...@uniserve.com
yes , yes , more dope
whiskers catwhee...@operamail.com
snip I think I agree with what Tara and Janneke have already said; see an 'ordinary' doctor for a start. They can diagnose and prescribe, and make referrals to suitable specialists if appropriate - and a doctor's referral might help to speed things up compared with you trying to go direct for yourself. It would also be a good idea to arrange tests to eliminate thisngs like thyroid problems which could be making you feel 'low'.
If you have a doctor's diagnosis the college authorities might be easier to persuade if you want to be given more time to complete your courses.
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-- Whiskers
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"lisa in mass." mcc...@rcn.com
i agree about the meds not being something that's going to matter very much whether they're started now or in a few weeks.
however, the wait is to see a therapist, not a psychiatrist. the hope is that the therapist would recommend a psychiatrist, who would have an unknown wait for an available opening. that's why i suggested that loren start with a general practitioner, who could either prescribe a medication to start, or refer to a psychiatrist.
just wanted to clarify,
-lisa
"janneke" asdaddre...@freeler.nl
ah ok,. IActually, i ,meant to say that Loren coudl do something about university NOW, even if she hasn't seen a therp yet. So i think my post was unclear.
Thanks, lisa.
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Janneke
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