This actually might be very prompt scheduling if your area is anything like mine--it's like pulling teeth to get a psychiatrist's appointment here. I had to wait 6 weeks, and was severely depressed at the time. I finally had to go to the emergency room one night, suicidal and having a panic attack that felt like a heart attack. They hospitalized me for 2 weeks. I missed my Pdoc appt. and another was made for me while in the hospital--the first one available was 3 weeks out--and she did that as a favor for the hospital folks with whom she had worked previously. So, don't feel because you are being put off a bit, that they are not taking you seriously. They may not have beds and may not have an appointment for you until the 29th. That really isn't very far away. They are taking care of you, I'll bet, as promptly as they can. The only way to get seen sooner is to show up at the emergency room as I did, suicidal and needing to be retained for protection. Hopefully you aren't that desperate and can hold on until they can get to you.

And, yes, do take the Zoloft and note any side effects. You won't get relief from that by the time of your appointment, so your pdoc will probably see you again in another month. Also will probably get you hooked up with a therapist as well. That's the gold standard now for depression--usually meds and therapy.

We all need to learn to control our moods and take charge of our depression to manage it. Just like we would have to manage any other illness, like diabetes or lupus or arthritis. Take meds when needed, and control our lives to lessen the effects of the disease.

With mental illness, this can be tough. Great to have PC friends to unload to--we all understand. Take care!