[gizduk42]

How can you tell if you should seek help from a counselor or Doctor?

[puzzclar]

Answer these questions
Does your life seem like it's getting out of control?
Have you experienced 5 symptoms of depression for the last 2 weeks?
Can you go out fo the house and be around people?

If you said yes to any of them, then getting help is a good idea. Your general practitionar can see if there is a physical reason, or send you to a specialst (pdoc).

If you think you just need to talk to a professional, then find one. Don't wait, just find someone... that's in your budget.

If you still don't know, then talk to someone through chat. (I'd be willing to)

[depressedalaskan]

When nothing matters.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Originally Posted by gizduk42

How can you tell if you should seek help from a counselor or Doctor?

Are you asking whether you should seek help in general? Or how to tell whether you should see a doctor versus a counsellor?

If you're asking the second question, it depends on whether your depression is most likely endogenous (caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain) or situational (caused by life circumstances). In both cases it's a good idea to see a counsellor for therapy, but if it's endogenous depression, it's important to also see an M.D. who can prescribe you medication.

Signs that it may be an endogenous depression:
- you have a family history of depression
- you have loss of appetite/weight loss
- there is no trigger for your depression that you can think of
- you have sleeplessness, or wake up too early in the mornings

Whatever your symptoms, it's never a bad idea to see both a counsellor and a doctor, if you can.

[gizduk42]

Thank you for advice.