I had a "nervous breakdown" last year, started with depression, lead to severe depression, panic attacks, and finaly, having a massive panic attack one day at work, thinking "this is it, i am finaly going mad", and walking out of my job, driving to darwin airport and flying home to Adelaide in a haze of Xanax.

I am a lot beter now, but still get depressed days, and days where I am very anxious, and can feel my self building up to panic. I am taking Effexor 150mg per day (tried 300mg per day but it made me feel terrible) and Valium 5mg as needed.

I have told my GP I want to see a psychiatrist, as it has been a year now, and i am not better, and looking back, can see now that depression and anxiety have been with me for a long time.

What should I tell the psych, anything I shouldnt tell him? What should i expect as an outcome?

I can certainly relate, I had a similar meltdown years ago myself.

First off - don't hold back, be 100% honest. Tell the psychiatrist some of the scary thoughts you have, cite some specific examples of situations where things have gotten bad, and make sure you stress the fact that your condition hasn't improved in the past year, and that you are desperate for help.

As for what to expect, you may get lucky and get a good psychiatrist that does offer some help, and can prescribe you some helpful medication to get you over difficulties you're currently experiencing.

However what will help you most is hearing from others that have overcome similar situations, and learning what you can do to make similar changes in your life. Forums such as this one are great for doing just that.

Good luck...:)

I have improved a lot, i get anxiety most days, but not panic, and i feel depressed most days, but not suididal..... i just dont want this to become my normal.... I want to be me again, not a depressed, anxious hermit counting out his valium to see how he will last till his next appointment...

Thanks for the tips Steve. The doc is professor of psychiatry at adelaide university, so i presume he must be ok!