Don't know if I'm overwhelmed or depressed

if you go on them it doesn't make you a failure. the objective is to feel better, and you have recognized that you need some help. sounds like you have/had some highly stressful thingsto deal with as well and this could have slowly built up on you and now coming to the fore. speak to your gp again, maybe see if CBT is right for you? hope you get better soon.

There is no shame in needing medication to help you, if you don't feel citalopram is for you maybe you should consider trying.a different form of drug. Good luck!!

I don't have a problem with citalopram it's just my dad has always said that people are weak if they need such things and it's all in the mind. I know that's a very old fashioned idea and I also know that this is not true but I suppose that has kind of made me feel like I'm a failure. I've tried cbt and to be honest I told her what I thought she wanted to hear so I didn't have to do it anymore. Stupid I know but I just wanted the sessions over. It's just me trying to work out if I should go back on them. I think I'm asking how you feel when you are depressed and do you have good weeks and bad weeks I just don't know if I'm depressed and want to get an idea of what others feel and is it the same as me

I'm sorry to hear your dad feels like that, but your dad seems very black and white and alot or people don't seem to understand there is the gray in between. I don't think citalopram is the answer forever but for now it will help you and help you find a more permanent key to helping you deal with your depression. Maybe one day you could try cbt counselling again or maybe steps to we'll being counselling.

yes with depression/anxiety you get good days/weeks bad days weeks. its a yo yo affect which s quite annoying planning work and social life around it. i was prescribed 20mg of cit last year as i had an anxiety attack which led to depression after we moved to a new area. i had suffered a period like this every 5 years or so since i was 19, and up to that point had not gone to the doctors about it as i thought i was a failure and as a man to proud. i didnt want to do anything, lost my appetite, sleep pattern went out of the window and found everything very hard. thought i was useless and a burden to my wife and family. within a month on cit i was getting back to my old self and regretted not going to the gp years ago. you may only need a low dose of 10mg, and that will balance out your days/weeks. you will still be able to laugh, have fun, and enjoy life they dont numb you out, didnt for me anyway. my family saw a massive difference in me and that is worth everything to me. some people just have a chemical imbalance which any situation could negatively flare up and cause anxiety and depression. you owe it to yourself to get better.

Corinne,

The fact that you have not started them again, despite having them in your cupboard is a very positive sign. Your will power seems immense. Maybe you don't need Citalopram, have you tried yoga, rescue or a less evasive solution. I say that from experience. I was on Citilapram for two years and one day I said 'nomore.' I weaned myself off them telling myself I would get better on my own. And I have. I do still feel down but I'm stronger now.

I wish you all the best.

Jane.

HI Corinne,

I would say that you are going through a stressful time at the moment and your feeling low is a perfectly normal response to your dad having chemo etc. Try not to go back on them, but if you feel you really should then dont worry about what other people think, do what is right for you. We all have different feelings and responses and just because your dad doesnt need antidepressants doesnt mean that other people dont. Women naturally feel things more than men anyway as we are conditioned to be caring and look after children. So we are therefore more emotional and feel more deeply than men do. My dad is a bit similiar to yours, a very black and white thinker with no "in between".

Wishing you all the best and do what is right for you xx