[calitrav]

Hi,

I've been struggling with Depression on and off for years.
Usually it's mild and I'm relatively functional despite it (dysthymia).

But this last bout of it has been going on for an unusually long time.
It's been going on for at least a year and a half now.

It was triggered by an affair with an ex-girlfriend, and I'm sure that some of it is due to factors like poorer finances, but that's not all of it.
It's just something I'm prone to struggling with.

Anyone want to recommend any good local treatment options?

I've tried a few anti-depressants, and I've generally found them to be barely helpful at best, plus they always have side effects, which I hate.

I'm a Veteran, so I could go to the VA for free, but my last experience with a therapist there was that it was not only unhelpful, but was making me feel worse.
I'm not as depressed I was then, for what it's worth.

Thanks...

[Fizzyo]

Hi, I can relate to limited success with antidepressants. It may be worth trying again with VA if there is a significant chance you will get a different therapist, the person is a very important part of the therapy and some are excellent while others.... Well....

Sorry I have no local info, but hopefully tis reply will allow someone who does to see your post.
Good luck, I really hope you find the support you need.

[qwerty68]

Thank you for your service. One thing to note is if your MH issues are service connected it is much easier staying within the VA system when it or if it becomes necessary to apply for an increase in benefits. Your primary care doc also has all the pdocs notes and your prescriptions and your pdoc will know what is going on with care you get elsewhere in the VA system. Also, it is very easy to switch pdocs or therapists in the VA system, you just need to place a request in with the patient advocate. Last time I was offered a therapist by my pdoc, it was almost like ordering off a menu. Male or female? Younger or older? I thought that was funny.

I live in an area of around 300,000 people and the local VAMC has at least 2 dozen pdocs, at least twice, probably three times that many therapists and MH social workers. I have had great, good, bad and evil providers within the VA, which is probably no different that the private sector, going off reading other peoples experiences here.

Psychology Today keeps a list of therapists in most areas, here is LA. If lack of insurance is an issue, here is one example of a free/sliding scale fee clinic in LA.

Hope that is helpful.