While I've suffered from depression and anxiety since primary school, I was only formally diagnosed last year. Before then, I would often experience severe fits of depression and/or anxiety, sometimes going so far as to consider self-harm (or worse).

Once my psychologist gave me a diagnosis, I went straight onto medication which has helped enormously. I still have an occasional episode, but they've become incredibly rare and aren't nearly as bad as they used to be.

Because I appear to be getting better, my psychologist has suggested weening me off my meds. Worse, my parents are putting a lot of pressure on me to come off.

Just one problem: if I go even one day without taking my regular dose, I'm straight back to that dark place and it's like I was never on them.

I don't know what to do. On the one hand, I don't want to be dependent on pills for the rest of my life. On the other hand, I don't want to go back to the days when I was afraid to even be around sharp objects. Any advice would be most welcome.