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What would doctors advise in regards to depression?

I've been feeling, I believe, some aspects of depression or anxiety for a few years since one of my graduate jobs finished which sparked a downward spiral for me.

If I went to the doctors, what options would they advise of? Counselling, anti-depressants?

Is it even worth going to the doctors?

And finally, would I be able to an emergency appointment for depression as I'm assuming I'll have to wait for a few weeks atm.

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Reply 1
When I went, we discussed my problems etc. He gave me some info about counselling, and also told me to fill out a questionnaire about how I'm feeling, and suggested I come back in a week to 10 days if I'm still feeling down. When I went back he prescribed citalopram for me.

And I doubt you'll be able to get an emergency appointment (since it's not exactly an emergency). Obviously you want it sorted asap but it's not exactly a serious, urgent health issue. Having said that, I don't see why you would have to wait weeks anyway. Surely if you phone up for an appointment you'll be able to get one for the following day at the latest?
Reply 2
Original post by Guitarded
When I went, we discussed my problems etc. He gave me some info about counselling, and also told me to fill out a questionnaire about how I'm feeling, and suggested I come back in a week to 10 days if I'm still feeling down. When I went back he prescribed citalopram for me.


Are these counselling sessions something that be done through the doctor's surgery, hospital or council departments?
Reply 3
Original post by Anonymous
Are these counselling sessions something that be done through the doctor's surgery, hospital or council departments?


I don't think so. If you contact your doctor he/she should probably give you info for it regardless of whether or not you've received an actual diagnosis, and then you can contact them about it. Bear in mind though there may be a waiting list.
Original post by Anonymous
I've been feeling, I believe, some aspects of depression or anxiety for a few years since one of my graduate jobs finished which sparked a downward spiral for me.

If I went to the doctors, what options would they advise of? Counselling, anti-depressants?

Is it even worth going to the doctors?

And finally, would I be able to an emergency appointment for depression as I'm assuming I'll have to wait for a few weeks atm.


They would discuss all treatment opinions with you. This can include Medication, Counselling, Therapy or lifestyle changes. It depends on your problems and what they think could help you. You may have to do a questionnaire. If they feel your problems are too complex or serious for the GP to handle they will refer you to specialist mental health services, where they have more experience and a wider range of treatment.

You cannot get an emergency appointment, only if you are actively very suicidal.
they'd probably suggest either counselling or antidepressants or both, so it's worth going since that might help
..but think carefully before taking any prescription meds as the side effects can be pretty bad and sometimes permanent, which the doctor might not mention.. so try to do your own research aswell..

i dunno why everyone's saying that you can't get an emergency appointment.. my parents got me one on the day of phoning in, and i wasn't suicidal.. so just phone them and ask maybe..

anyway i hope you feel better soon :smile:
Reply 6
I did get an emergency appointment for my first appointment about depression because I was really in crisis. (I was sobbing down the phone to the person at reception and I don't know what I said but they thought I needed an appointment asap.) It doesn't sound like you're at crisis point right now though as you say it's been going on a while, so I'd make a regular appointment unless you really think you can't wait.

They will probably offer you meds and/or counselling depending on the severity and nature of your symptoms.
The first time I went to the doctor about depression, I got an emergency appointment. In my surgery, you book on the day, and by the time I rung, all the slots had gone, so they got a doctor to ring me, who then managed to get me an appointment for that day.

I'd definitely recommend going to the GP about your depression - for me, it's really helped having support from my GP. For me, when I first went (to my current GP, I'd been once before at home), she recommended a combination of therapy and antidepressants straight away, as it was quite severe and it had been going on a long time, although I declined ADs for a few months. It's likely that they'll ask you to fill in a questionnaire and discuss your symptoms with you, and then decide what the best course of action would be.
Reply 8
I called today and got an appointment for tomorrow, not with my usual doctor but its with a female so should help in opening up. So let's see how it goes.

I'm hoping and I feel that counselling of some sort might help, just to unload my thoughts/feelings and be advised on appropriate steps, not all too keen for anti-depressants due to potential side effects that I've read online.
Original post by Anonymous
I called today and got an appointment for tomorrow, not with my usual doctor but its with a female so should help in opening up. So let's see how it goes.

I'm hoping and I feel that counselling of some sort might help, just to unload my thoughts/feelings and be advised on appropriate steps, not all too keen for anti-depressants due to potential side effects that I've read online.


Good luck! I hope it goes well for you. :smile: I only feel comfortable talking to female doctors, so hopefully having one will help you - it seems that you think it will, which is good. :smile: I'd explain to her that you think counselling would benefit you, and it's likely she'd want to try that before antidepressants. Severe/long-lasting side effects are rare from what I gather though, so I wouldn't worry too much about it if that's what it comes to, but obviously, it's your choice, and it's likely that you wouldn't be offered them straight away anyway.
Original post by Anonymous
I called today and got an appointment for tomorrow, not with my usual doctor but its with a female so should help in opening up. So let's see how it goes.

I'm hoping and I feel that counselling of some sort might help, just to unload my thoughts/feelings and be advised on appropriate steps, not all too keen for anti-depressants due to potential side effects that I've read online.


One thing to remember is to take anything you read online abot meds with a pinch of salt, there's a lot of uninformed scaremongering people plus you have to remember that any individual bad reports are the outliers. The many people who are happy with their meds don't tend to post online about how good they are, just the smaller percentage of people who have problems that do :tongue:

That said, if you feel your problems have a base which counselling would help, it's worth trying that first.
Original post by Exopaladin
One thing to remember is to take anything you read online abot meds with a pinch of salt, there's a lot of uninformed scaremongering people plus you have to remember that any individual bad reports are the outliers. The many people who are happy with their meds don't tend to post online about how good they are, just the smaller percentage of people who have problems that do :tongue:

That said, if you feel your problems have a base which counselling would help, it's worth trying that first.


Sums it up completely really. :smile: Also remember that if the potential benefits didn't outweigh the potential risks, then antidepressants wouldn't be prescribed. Furthermore, there are *lots* of antidepressants out there, and if you did start them, your GP would likely start you on a low-dosage SSRI. As I said in an earlier post, the chances of having a severe or permanent reaction to an antidepressant is very unlikely.
Reply 12
I had a trip to the doctors today, had a really attentive one who was inquistive and interested.

I told her basically how I felt and the emotional and physical symptoms that I've experienced. She suggested what I was going through was what can be expected when suffering from depression.

She discussed the options: tablets, or counselling that involves CBT therapy.

We ruled tablets out very promptly. So she advised me to visit this website to do some of the tasks and that in due course, there will be a letter to arrange the above therapy. Anyone done anything related to that at all and would any prospective session of that nature be of any cost?

She gave me a sicknote for 2 weeks, as I explained that I didn't feel work would help me. I'm due to work on the weekend, would it suffice to send the note through the post as I can't envisage going down to drop it off?
Original post by Anonymous
I had a trip to the doctors today, had a really attentive one who was inquistive and interested.

I told her basically how I felt and the emotional and physical symptoms that I've experienced. She suggested what I was going through was what can be expected when suffering from depression.

She discussed the options: tablets, or counselling that involves CBT therapy.

We ruled tablets out very promptly. So she advised me to visit this website to do some of the tasks and that in due course, there will be a letter to arrange the above therapy. Anyone done anything related to that at all and would any prospective session of that nature be of any cost?

She gave me a sicknote for 2 weeks, as I explained that I didn't feel work would help me. I'm due to work on the weekend, would it suffice to send the note through the post as I can't envisage going down to drop it off?


I'm glad your GP appt seems to have gone well - well done for going and explaining everything - often that's the hardest part.

I'm assuming she's referred you to your local IAPT centre, in which case, no, there won't be a cost. I imagine she'd have told you if you'd had to pay, so I'm guessing it will be done on the NHS. :smile: I had therapy from my local IAPT provider between November and March, and the person I had was really friendly and supportive.
Reply 14
Original post by Anonymous
I'm glad your GP appt seems to have gone well - well done for going and explaining everything - often that's the hardest part.

I'm assuming she's referred you to your local IAPT centre, in which case, no, there won't be a cost. I imagine she'd have told you if you'd had to pay, so I'm guessing it will be done on the NHS. :smile: I had therapy from my local IAPT provider between November and March, and the person I had was really friendly and supportive.


She didn't say where it would conducted or if there was any cost but like you said, she would have mentioned it if it was. When you did do that this year, was it CBT processes you discussed and undertook?
Reply 15
Original post by Anonymous
I've been feeling, I believe, some aspects of depression or anxiety for a few years since one of my graduate jobs finished which sparked a downward spiral for me.

If I went to the doctors, what options would they advise of? Counselling, anti-depressants?

Is it even worth going to the doctors?

And finally, would I be able to an emergency appointment for depression as I'm assuming I'll have to wait for a few weeks atm.


They could advice anything from counselling, therapy or medication.. it'll really all depend on how severe they deem your depression to be.

Definitely worth going to the doctors, especially because the longer you leave it the worse your condition could become. :redface:

Emergency appointments are available and I booked one myself, so let's hope you can do the same.

Hope you feel better soon! :hugs:
Original post by Anonymous
She didn't say where it would conducted or if there was any cost but like you said, she would have mentioned it if it was. When you did do that this year, was it CBT processes you discussed and undertook?


Yeah, I did do CBT, and obviously we discussed the emotional side of things/how things were going/she provided support etc.
No depression will not count as an emergency appointment unless maybe you are suicidal.
I have depression and the first thing I was offered was antidepressants. I put them off for 8 month and when I eventually did go on them things were slowly getting better and better.
A word of caution though, I gained almost a stone within a year of taking them and my doctor confirmed they can cause weight gain so if that will make matters worse then I would seek other options.

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Original post by kayleighn05
No depression will not count as an emergency appointment unless maybe you are suicidal.
I have depression and the first thing I was offered was antidepressants. I put them off for 8 month and when I eventually did go on them things were slowly getting better and better.
A word of caution though, I gained almost a stone within a year of taking them and my doctor confirmed they can cause weight gain so if that will make matters worse then I would seek other options.

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I suspect that it depends on the surgery. :smile: At mine they gave me one of the appointments they hold open for emergencies as all their normal slots had gone (this was done after I'd spoken to a doctor on the phone).
Original post by Anonymous
I suspect that it depends on the surgery. :smile: At mine they gave me one of the appointments they hold open for emergencies as all their normal slots had gone (this was done after I'd spoken to a doctor on the phone).


Must just be mine. The only emergency ones I've ever gotten were for my daughter (which were all last minute cancellations). Doctors r useless! I like mu current GP though, feel so comfortable around him

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