How to approach a doctor about it?

Hi everyone

I've struggled with depression for many years; last year was the best of my life mental health wise, but now I feel it's getting worse again. I cry constantly the second I'm alone, feel hopeless and apathetic, and the urge to **** is sometimes unbearable. I just want to curl up and watch TV and not do anything.

I'm scared to see a doctor about this; I wouldn't know how to bring it up without sounding whiny and silly. I have a tendency to minimise things so would just feel guilty and say 'oh i'm feeling a bit sad, but it's nothing really i'll be fine'... I was more gentle on myself when I was a teenager, but now I'm almost 21 and I feel ashamed of it. Like I should have grown out of it by now.

I also don't want an official diagnosis because my parents would get mad at me and ask me a lot of questions I don't want to answer, and also they said it would make getting life or travel insurance more expensive in the future. I'm on a lot of medication for my Ulcerative Colitis, so maybe I could blame my depression on a side effect of one of these, and seem less 'stupid' and 'ungrateful'.

I don't know what I'm expecting really. If anyone has any advice on how to talk to a doctor about it - or anything else I can do instead - it would be very gratefully received.

Post Edited By Moderator (getting by) : 1/2/2015 2:51:30 PM (GMT-7)

I'm so sorry, I wasn't aware you weren't allowed to discuss that.

That's a good idea about writing it down. Would make it easier. You don't think it would look silly?

I really appreciate your words and wish everyone else would take it as seriously. Unfortunately that isn't the case. My family have put me through a lot, and only since my colitis diagnosis have things been better between us; I can't risk upsetting that.

i tell my doc everything............without he / she knowing they can't advise or treat you correctly. sending healing thoughts.

My depression is far, far worse than my colitis - if anyone ever makes you feel that your illness is not as serious or real or important as a physical disease, please know they're talking rubbish, because I have both, and I know which one I'd rather have.

brendaboo, that's so brilliant that your mother was accepting of you. Unfortunately I've tried explaining it to my family in the past (after they read my diary and found out everything) and they were horrible to me about it. Though the horribleness was largely affected by the other secrets they found out in my diary. My mother saw my unhappiness as a personal insult to her parenting abilities, and I'm just too tired to have to explain it to her when all she does is shout irrationally and call me names. Things are finally okay and I don't want to upset the balance.

If I'm going to see a doctor I need to do it soon - This is my last term of university, and then I'll be moving back home, where I have little freedom. It's just a scary step for me.

Malaika the hardest thing talking to my Mom about it was because she has never suffered from depression, of course she gets sad on occasion like any person, but she has never suffered with depression, so it was hard opening up to someone that doesn't really know how it feels to be "in the depths of despair", but she was caring and that is what I needed at that moment.

I can see where your Mother could think the way she does, but depression effects all walks of life, and some of the people that should be the happiest people in the world are not happy, so it's not always a case of a parent being the blame for the way you are, and maybe your Mother is worried that in some way she didn't do enough as Mothers tend to do when their child is in a crisis, so maybe your Mother is in a bit of denial that her child could not suffer from depression because she did the best she could(I am just going by my own parental instincts and what I might think if I were in her shoes).

I have found with my own depression, opening up about it to others has got me through some very tough situations, and if I open up to a person that just can't get it, then I know at that time they are not who I need to talk to.

I truly hope you get the peace you need at this time, and if you can't open up to your family, open up to someone as you have here, this seems to bring some reassurance that you are not alone, and there are people here that genuinely understand your pain and want to encourage you to get the help you may need.

Take care

I know how you feel in that I am the same way - I tend to downplay everything because I feel embarrassed and I hate going to doctors. :( I'm sorry your parents aren't more supportive. I sometimes feel that same way about mine. Best of luck and I hope you feel better and get the help you need!

I take omega 3, and turmeric is also used for fibromyalgia. Thanks for sharing the article. I imagine that there could be physical problems, as it can cause physical symptoms. Interesting way to look at it.

Hugs, Karen...