TeenHelp - Medication or Counselling?

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Medication or Counselling?

I went to see my doctor two weeks ago and explained to her how things had gotten downhill since the last time I saw her. I told her about how I've missed a lot of college because I can't deal with getting up and having to face the day. She gave me a sheet to fill out which is just rating how many days out of the past two weeks have I felt certain ways or been thinking certain things. I'm going back on Tuesday to see her and she wanted me to think about going on anti depressants. Because I've turned 18 since I last saw her, the NHS' approach to how to 'treat' me has changed drastically.
I told her at the time that I didn't really want to have counselling because last time she sent me to a psychiatric nurse it ended pretty badly and the one I spoke to in college a few months back just.. didn't work out for me. At all.
But my girlfriend is coming with me when I go back and she thinks I should reconsider counselling, maybe with a female this time since both the psych and the college counsellor were male. She says that medication might make me happier (though it could take a long time and several different kinds of meds to find one that works) but it wouldn't solve any of my problems. Or make them go away.
So I could do with some opinions on this. What are your experiences with having to open up to a counsellor on a weekly basis and of different medications? Anything you can tell me would help. :)

Re: Medication or Counselling?

I'm really sorry that this is affecting your life so deeply... You so deserve to be happy and healthy... but it does take help sometimes. In my experience with counseling, it hasn't always worked out quite the way I was expecting... but the fact is that I went when I wasn't ready, and I had a lot of trouble opening up, period. You have to be willing to put everything into it, if you want to get everything out of it that you can. -What I've gotten from discussions with friends about this topic (whose experiences have been much more successful than my own), is that finding the right counselor and finding the right meds can be very similar in a sense... like anti depressants, not every brand (or therapist) is going to be right for you, and, you shouldn't expect instant results. But do hang in there, and please try and both accept the support you're being given, and communicate with your doctor and others what you think is right for you. - Also, I'm always around if you need anything:]
Best of luck,
Ada.

Re: Medication or Counselling?

Hai xD
It's true that meds won't fix the problem, so for that reason counselling is the way forward..but could you maybe do both? Counselling to work on the problems and meds to help you feel happier.
As for my experiences with counselors, ask me via skype or msn, I have a lot of different experiences and don't want to a huggee post!
Love youuuu xx

Re: Medication or Counselling?

To be honest, most of my experiences with counselors have been rather bad!

You have to consider that they are both a stranger and someone doing this as a job to make a living, awkward from the get-go??

So what i'm saying is, a counselor is more so like picking out a new car, or shirt. There are lots of good and bad ones.

Now that I think about it I did have on good one.

I would say the ratio is low, but there are some out there who would fit the kind of person you need supporting you! But be honest with them!

If you don't feel comfortable with them or feel like someone else out there could better suit your needs, let them know! There are a few out there who are fantastic and truly understand what it is to be where you are as opposed to the ones who have no understanding apart from that of a text. book.

As far as the anti-depressants... why not?
You have access to something that's sole purpose is to help you through the exact thing you are going through. That's not to say it will solve all of your problems for you, that's always falls completely on to you and you alone! But it's completely capable of easing the pain on those really hard times.

Myself, I didn't like the idea of taking them because I felt below everyone else when I did. They helped a bit.

It's up to you anyways!

Take care!! I hope truly, deeply and sincerely that things work out for you! =)
And if you ever need sometime to talk to feel free!

Re: Medication or Counselling?

I understand that things can go wrong with a councilor, but honestly, you should try the non-medicated treatment first, and see if you can get better that way.

If things go wrong with a councilor, you can always ask for prescriptions later. If things go wrong with medications, then most likely nothing will happen, but there are cases where something does go wrong (rare, but it happens).

In general, try to avoid drugs if you have the chance, go for more natural remedies. Remember, antidepressants/medications aren't going anywhere in case you want to turn to them later!