Hi Rainbow! I am being treated for Major Depression and Anxiety (both are one in the same) since my breakdown about 5 weeks ago. For me with the anxiety comes obsessive thoughts of harming myself or I get obsessed anxious over certain objects. I also have problems sleeping and with my short term memory as these are symptoms of the depression (before meds I was having these symptoms and still do but with much less frequency except for maybe the sleeping). I also get the shakes on occasion. Currently I'm on my 5th week of Citalopram and I now take another antidepressant called Trazodone at night as needed to help me sleep ( the side effect of the Trazodone sleepiness so it keeps me asleep). I didn't want to be on any drugs that are habit forming so I asked for the best drug when it came to the least side effects as pertains to my situation. The psychiatrist in my treatment program doesn't recommend ambien for sleep because of the dangerous side effects of possibly waking and not being aware as that's dangerous for someone who has SI. When it comes to digestion Citalopram it did slow down my digestive tract but after a few doses of colace and making sure I eat my veggies all is well :-) - Hope that's not TMI LOL!!! Another side effect for me was dry mouth in the beginning (especially at night) but that has since gone away. What ever drug you decide to go on it may not work right away as everyone is different and everyone's body reacts to things differently.

Everyone in my geographical area takes blue cross. I initially went to my pdoc for meds and the nurse practitioner at my pdoc office thankfully has experience with psychiatric meds (she used to prescribe at a psychiatric hospital). I started out on 10mg the first week then I went up to 20mg and a little over a week ago I went up to 40mg.

Currently I'm in a depression/anxiety day treatment program and part of the group therapy focuses on skills like: CBT and DBT.

What ever you decide to do I hope you feel better soon!