Junior year was a tough year for me many many many many years ago. I wonder if you have a school counselor or psychologist that you could talk to? They may be able to help you discuss with your parents and get you help with seeing a therapist who could help you.

Sleep, diet, stress reduction are all very important to you when your depression is bad. You would also benefit from some tools to help you when you cannot focus to stop the bad thoughts and get back on track.

As far as medications, you do need a professional who deals specifically with teens and depression and understands how to use them to assist in the treatment. The medications are there to help you get through this. Not as a replacement for the therapy and tools we need to use on a daily basis to manage our emotions.

You are important, you are talented. You will get through this - please work to get positive support whether it is friends, parents, teachers, counselor or doctors.

AND mostly -- You are so BRAVE for reaching out and looking to help yourself -- please keep working toward that time when you will feel like you again and not llisten to that mean voice in your head that is telling you lies.