Depression

[Jade--x]

If/when you had depression (PND or any other) what was your initial treatment from your GP?

I've noticed that alot of ladies on here say they were put on anti depressents and wondered if that's the first (and sometimes only) things that doctors do to help or whether they offered any other forms of help ie. counselling or some support groups etc.

It's my own curiosity of whether doctors are too quick to prescribe anti depressents and too reliant on them to help as I do think they're given too much when most of the time it's someone to talk to people need or it's from a trauma that they need help to deal with properly.

Thank you for voting if you do and feel free to comment your opinions on how the GP's deal with depression.

 

[hubblybubbly]

I am a GP, I've also had depression, so I see both sides.
As a patient I was offered cbt but declined and went for the meds, they helped a lot, although I've had some relapses over the past few years I've been medication free for over a year now. Yay!

As a GP, I try and offer my patients a range of options, some people are really against meds, sme are against talking therapies, some don't want anything and just want to talk, and some accept a combination.

Unfortunately in a lot of Nhs trusts including my own, counselling is not available on the Nhs, and neither is direct access to support groups. We have to refer to psychological services who then decide on which therapy...cbt, support groups or psychology. Their referral criteria is quite tight, and if you don't meet it the referral comes bouncing back to the GP. The waiting list is also normally quite long ( our local area is 3-4 months) which when you're depressed is a long time, hence why a lot of people end up on antidepressants.

X

 

[Wiggler]

I have been diagnosed with depression a few times and they always throw antidepressants at me, a doctor did once say to me after ANOTHER doctors visit to say the pills wernt helping that councelling and CBT would probably help me more, but they never followed it up. x x x

 

[Jade--x]

I am a GP, I've also had depression, so I see both sides.
As a patient I was offered cbt but declined and went for the meds, they helped a lot, although I've had some relapses over the past few years I've been medication free for over a year now. Yay!

As a GP, I try and offer my patients a range of options, some people are really against meds, sme are against talking therapies, some don't want anything and just want to talk, and some accept a combination.

Unfortunately in a lot of Nhs trusts including my own, counselling is not available on the Nhs, and neither is direct access to support groups. We have to refer to psychological services who then decide on which therapy...cbt, support groups or psychology. Their referral criteria is quite tight, and if you don't meet it the referral comes bouncing back to the GP. The waiting list is also normally quite long ( our local area is 3-4 months) which when you're depressed is a long time, hence why a lot of people end up on antidepressants.

X

I totally see it from the GP's point of view with the waiting lists and must be really frustrating when GP's do have a real care for their patients and want the best for them (most anyway) I think the NHS needs to realise that depression is on the up - Whether that's just from more people accepting it and seeking help or whether it's because of the everyday struggles that are worse now with the recession etc. - And they need to start offering more support and funding as it does ruin peoples whole lives and not just women men too.x

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I was offered a choice. I had counselling at 13 (which I didn't have a choice in), and it exacerbated the situation by about a million percent, so I chose meds.
The docs here do tend to give them out like sweets, though. At one point my whole group of friends were all on the same antidepressants.

 

[Armywife84]

It was my decision to seek counseling for my depression (stemmed from infertility). When I met with the counselor, they were pretty quick to suggest anti-depressants. We're still LTTC, so I'm slightly afraid to take them as I know you have to wean yourself off them. In the rare event I do get pregnant, I'm afraid they would have effects on my unborn child.

IMO, it's just too risky atm. I have crappy luck and don't want to chance anything.

 

[08marchbean]

i had PND and intitial treatment they offered was anti depressants then i had CBT

 

[Redfraggle]

When I went to my GP about it I was offered counselling (which is what I think I need) but the waiting list is 12 months!!!! So she gave me anti depressants to take while I wait. Took them for a couple of months but the side effects were horrendous and didn't improve anything at all and she wouldn't listen when I told her so I stopped taking them.

So, just waiting. And crying. A lot.

 

[foquita]

I was given antidepressants while I waited for my referral for CBT to come through

 

[tallybee]

I was offered antidepressants, they were awful. I moved area and when I went to the GP there I was offered different antidepressants and CBT, I was told the wait for CBT was long so I tried the pills but they were awful too. I came off them and had to struggle through for 2 years until the CBT came through.

Services are far too stretched, it's horrible x

 

[pupsicle]

I suffer from anxiety and depression, I specifically told the doctor I didn't want to go on medication as I don't think that would benefit me in the long run, I needed to learn to control my feelings. He also said he would like to try other things to help with the depression before medication, so I did CBT

 

[teal]

When I had PPD I was offered antidepressants and counselling. Initially I refused counselling but when I had a relapse 6 months after stopping ad's I was again offered AD's and counselling but I went private for counselling to avoid the waiting list xx

 

[Ceejay123]

I was offere antidepressants and anxiety Meds, then CBT and counselling to begin with.

 

[GirlRacer]

I went to my GP when I was 6 days pp. I was not sleeping at all and having panic attacks and not well in myself at all. She said to me to try a few nights on some sleeping tablets she prescribed and if I'm still bad after that then to come back and she'll try me on antidepressants. That night I got awful panic attacks worse than ever and feeling so hurrendous like I couldn't carry on. Luckily my mum, dad and OH were with me and they rung the out of hours doc and he put me on some antidepressants which I started and finally now at a month pp I'm starting to feel much better. I can get out and about and do things I used to do and I'm confident with taking Joshua out on my own. Also the antidepressants are ones that help with sleeping problems and help me drop off back to sleep easily after feeds I didn't want to have to take medication but I know its for the best and I can finally enjoy my son now.

 

[Jade--x]

I went to my GP when I was 6 days pp. I was not sleeping at all and having panic attacks and not well in myself at all. She said to me to try a few nights on some sleeping tablets she prescribed and if I'm still bad after that then to come back and she'll try me on antidepressants. That night I got awful panic attacks worse than ever and feeling so hurrendous like I couldn't carry on. Luckily my mum, dad and OH were with me and they rung the out of hours doc and he put me on some antidepressants which I started and finally now at a month pp I'm starting to feel much better. I can get out and about and do things I used to do and I'm confident with taking Joshua out on my own. Also the antidepressants are ones that help with sleeping problems and help me drop off back to sleep easily after feeds I didn't want to have to take medication but I know its for the best and I can finally enjoy my son now.

Aww hun that's awful I'm so glad you're getting better! x