A.C.
Dear J.,
Your regular doctor can prescribe an antidepressant, but I hope you will consider a more comprehensive approach to getting out of the depression you're in. Medication can help, but medication isn't the end-all - there are lots of other things that may help even more and aren't as risky.
Things that might help:
* Find a support group of other people that are/have been depressed and are coming out of it. Not just friends that are kind and will listen to you. You need to find people who have succeeded in coming out of depression.
* Retrain your mind (to not focus on the negative, to think about the positive, to differentiate truth from painful thinking)
* Take Omega 3 oil (the right kind - not just from the grocery store. get cold processed/nitrogen processed oil. maybe at the health food store or online. Nordic Naturals or some thing like that)
* Go to a counselor and talk things through
* Exercise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Endorphins!
* Write things down, keep a journal. Important!
* Read books on getting over depression (I recommend The New Good Mood Therapy book - actually pretty old! at least 20 years old! but it helped me learn how to get out of depression.)
Has something happened that triggered this depression? This is key. Try to figure this out.
Write to me if you think you can handle that. I hope you can sort this through. You don't have to stay depressed. Get help!
A.