I have just been to my therapist. They continue to tell me I don't even have depression, despite two suicide attempts and three doctors diagnosis of depression. These therapists are not working, and the doctors have told me we have exhausted all the medication possibilities. Every morning I wake up and feel like there is no hope for me as I have been going through this for five years and found nothing that helps. I just can't convince myself that there is any reason to keep on living. I have seen many posts like this and the response is always the same. Don't worry it won't last forever, or you will feel better. This is true, but I feel that I will be stuck in this pattern for the rest of my life, in which case I would live with my parents the rest of my life, never have a relationship that could turn into a marriage and family, and really I would have no reason to live. I just need to know if there is anything the doctors can do when one of these periods of extreme depression hit. I know of one person who was so very bad he was given medicinal marijuana. I don't want to ever resort to that, but are there any other extreme measures that can be taken. I have been to the psych ward of a hospital and I will never go back. I feel like I have exhausted every possibility in treatment and if anyone knows of anything that could be done please let me know.

Can you locate a practitioner known as a psychopharmacologist in your area - they specialize in concocting drug combinations to address such issues as depression.

I'm not sure I could find any around here, but do they prescribe pills other than the usual antidepressents. I have been on almost all of them, and combined them in every way the docs can think, so I am just at a loss. A friend of mine has bi-polar and every once in a while she has to go to the hospital because she self mutilates. She goes to the hospital and they give her some very strong medication, and she says she always comes out feeling better. I often wonder if my doc knows there are stronger meds that I could be taking but he doesn't want to resort to them, but the way I feel I don't care how strong they are as long as they work. I always wonder if there is some level of medication or treatment they are not telling me about because they don't think my depression is severe enough. If anyone has any info on this it would be appreciated. Thanks for the reply.

-What have you tried in the way of supplements (B vitamins, Magnesium, herbs, etc.?)
-Have you been tested for food allergies? (If you have a food allergy or sensitivity, it could be contributing greatly to the depression.)

I have just been to my therapist. They continue to tell me I don't even have depression, despite two suicide attempts and three doctors diagnosis of depression.
How can your therapist even begin to tell you that you don't have depression if you have attempted suicide? What is the logic there?

That just sounds so incredibly ridiculous to me. Have you considered switching therapists? This one sounds kind of worthless.

If you read your own post as if it was written by a stranger, you would probably be saddened and touched and want to reach out to that person and realize deep down inside that person is truly deeply depressed. If you need proof youself, take the Beck depression test or the test offered on this website and you will have your answer my dear. Sometimes we look to others to tell us what we already know. You are experiencing depression. Are there situations in your life saddening you right now, in the recent past or coming up in the future? Are you unhappy with a relationship, trapped in a bad one, have a sick child or unable to have a child. Have a weight problem or an eating disorder. Hate your job or unable to find a job. If not unhappy situations or events, you may simply have a genetic predisposition to depression, which is not a personal deficiency, but a true chemical imbalance in your brain. Something you cannot control. Almost like having constant stomach ulcers.....chemical imbalances in the stomach causing constant irritation and ongoing pain, needing medication to neutralize and calm the stomach down. Anti-depression medications help to balance the brain chemicals that are out of whack for no reason to do with you personally. These medication restore a balance to the brain and a sense of balance and normalcy to your life, easing emotional and sometimes physical pain and eliminating those annoying "brain burps" like negative thoughts and panic attacks and fear something bad will happen. If you have a financial situation that prevents you from affording a psychiatrist, try your regular family doctor. If that's not available, check out the mental health agencies in your community and if you are prescribed a medication and have no insurance, check out a website called "NeedyMeds", which lists all brand name and generic drugs and the manufacturers programs which often provide free meds to financially qualified people. I know I have to take Aricept, an Alzheimers preventative med that I cannot afford at $170 a month with no insurance to cover it, and Pfizer Assistance provides it free of charge to my doctor who faxes a refill every three months to Pfizer. And I know to get you started on a medication, many doctors are more than willing to "sample" you and provide a month's supply to qualified patients of manufacturer's samples, free of charge. There are also Agencies that provide from a sliding scale to free individual or group counselling, so you can find the emotional support system you need. Good luck dear and my thoughts and many on this board are with you. :angel:

You say you have tried every combo of pills available - how long did you give each med/combo to work? For some people, It can take up to a month for them to kick in. Also, have they tried increasing dosages to the max? I know with prozac & celexa I had to take the max dosages. I am always amazed that some people get away with only 20mg.