HI. I registered a while ago, but forgot my password. I have suffered from anxiety and depression for over twenty years and can't thank myou doctor enough for prescribing me anti depressants.. Mental illness often needs medication as much as a physical Illness. A diabetic isn't ashamed of taking insulin, so why should someone with anxiety or depression feel reticent about taking the appropriate medication. Sure there are some side effects if one doesn't get the tablets which suit one's individual needs, but my sister who has MS suffered a lot of side effects before her MS medication was right for her. Also counselling won't work if you are in such "a bad place" that you are too low to talk, or to even drag yourself out of the house to your counselling sessions. My tablets stabilised me so I could get the most out of my counselling sessions. For the first few appointments I just sat and wept, but when the tablets kicked in i was able to talk to my counsellor and start using some of the strategies she suggested to deal with panic attacks andfits of deep depression the latter being much much worse than "feeling a bit unhappy". So go to the doctor before doing anything else. You'll feel a little bit better just by talking to a professional who has seen it all before.
