[estranged]

I have visited this psychologist only 2 times. I don't feel comfortable talking about cutting with ANYONE but i don't know if i should tell him...also i feel like i don't express what i feel right...i try to but i can't show how much pain i feel...how can i show it better?also i have another question..can a psychologist diagnose depression? i went to one last year who told me i had melancholy but i don't know if they can diagnose depression.He told me (the one i'm seeing now) that we'll start step by step to see what causes this feeling..we've rejected the possibility that it's caused by an event in my life and he said it may be biological so he told me to start eating better(i don't eat very well) and start running a bit but this doesn't help me at all..i feel worse than ever and i've been this way for 3 years...Of course i don't want to but i start to believe i do have depression and i wonder if it is "the next step".He hasn't talked to me about what's wrong with me he only tries to stop it. Also if it turns out i have depression do i have to take medicine?

[Perna]

Hi, estranged, welcome to PsychCentral (PC). I think if you cannot express your pain "right" such that it is causing you to cut, I would tell my psychologist about the problem. I use to call suicide help lines to get help, did not know how else to get it. Telling the psychologist and the two of you troubleshooting ways for you to tell him when you are feeling really bad, could be the first step to helping you help yourself with your depressiong.

Yes, psychologists can diagnose depression, they just usually can't prescribe medicine for it, would send you to a psychiatrist and then the three of you work together, if that is what you all decided was a good step.

You do not have to take medicine, if you do not want; I would definitely work on eating better and exercising consistently, that can help, both physically and doubly, psychologically, with the depression itself and with taking your mind off your problems.

[Merlin]

My rule is to disclose anything I am ambivalent in disclosing to my pdoc and T. They can filter out what is important to discuss and what isn't. I think that psychologist can diagnose depression. The fact that yours is not in a rush to do is a good thing. Sometimes it can take time to assess a person. You might ask what his current suspicion is and how how he intends to treat you. If he cannot answer that question then I would consider that a red flag.