[redlipstickandmma]

So over the past year I was diagnosed with Major Depression. I have been on
-Zoloft (50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg)
-Lexapro (10 mg, 20 mg)
-Limictal (50 mg and currently on 100 mg)

Over the past few months thou I have become a whole lot more sleepy. I really just want to sleep all the time. If I'm uninterested, I can't focus at all. When I get angry/upset I cry for a small amount of time and then I just I feel like I go crazy. I clean everything and turn everything a certain way. If it isn't turned correctly it causes me much anxiety until it is correctly turned. I've done this with my own closet and my hall closets and my coat closet. When my mom goes to hang clean laundry in my closet I have to fix it until it is right again. And what has really scared me is that I wake up and feel like I can't get up. But I do. It takes a few minutes but I do. I go from being so happy and full of energy to wanting to just cry so hard. I can be happy and not sleep and want to do everything for days or it can last only hours then I go into being depressive mood. Sometimes I'm not super depressed, just like a little sad. I've been kind of compulsive with some things. I have always felt really strongly about not fighting. Well I've recently found myself really wanting to beat up my boyfriends ex! (NOT because she is his EX, because she is a mean girl and she spreads lies about me and tells me she wants to hit me) and its so stupid and sometimes I feel so consumed by my anger I want to hit her, but other times I find myself saying "what are you doing? You are so much better than her" Depending with my mood I dont have any desire to have sex.

I'm in the look for a new pshycologist as my last one quit the practice and moved to FL. Its hard because I am a full time student and not every practice takes my insurance, or is near by. I have questions.

1. Can Major depression switch to Bipolar disorder?
2. I feel like I really do not like medicine anymore. I feel like it doesnt work for me and I have read about things like electroconvulsive therapy, and that it works for 80% of people. I'm scared though because it induces a small seizure. Will this cause more seizures? How long does it last? does the patient even feel the seizure? Does it affect other medicines like the acne medicine I am currently on, or birth controll pills?
3. Are there other options besides SSRIs, moodstabilizers (pills in general) or electroconvulsive therapy? I am currently in regular talk therapy with a therapist.

[Umbral_Seraph]

1. To my knowledge depression will not become BP; I know that some people do not get the correct diagnosis of BP at first and get diagnosed with depression. They are given an AD, which can push them into mania, and that's when they get the right diagnosis.

2. Medication is tricky. First and formost you must have the correct diagnosis so you are treated for the correct thing. Second, most people must try several different meds before finding something that works for them. I've been through at least a dozen the past 3 years, and there are some people on here who have literally been on ever med ever made. ECT at this point is a bit extreme; it's generally a last resort kind of thing. I think you are at a slightly higher risk for siezure afterwards, but I'm not entirely sure (if someone can verify/deny?). Anyway, you don't feel the seizure because you are sedated and not awake. With med interactions, there is always a risk 2 meds could interact. I don't believe any of the meds you listed interact with birth control or acne meds, but SSRIs can interact with NSAIDs to cause excessive bleeding. Oh, and by the way, Lamictil is primarily an antiseizure drug.

3. There are many things you can try. There are a number of different therapies; I personally have done cognitive behavioral therapy and currently do biofeedback therapy, perhaps someone else can mention some others. You can also try something like meditation or yoga. Exercise and diet also have a pretty significant impact.