Mental Health How do I get prescribed antidepressants????

[Agdjsjsk]

Haven't even been to a doctor at all since I was about seven.

What's the process of being diagnosed like?
How personal do I have to get with a gp just to get prescribed something?
Is medication normally a first source of treatment or are they likely to refer me to counselling first?

I'm 18 and Australian. I always thought I just needed to change my life, fucked up family situations and whatnot... living with a drug addict before most recently spending the last year moving from couch to couch, in which time I was fired from four different jobs... I never sought medical help. Just waded it all out till things changed. But now they have, life's going better than it ever has, I rent a house of my own, Im not struggling with money, I've got great friends.
I'm not as bad as I was, I don't get migraines and I haven't been falling into fits of rage but It's been just over a month and everything still feels pointless.

I want to stop cowering from it and get some real help but I really have no idea how
Any advice at all will help

 

[Chronic Asshole]

The first and only time I decided to give antidepressants a try I went to my doctor, told him I was feeling depressed, BAM, instant prescription for Lexapro. No questions asked.

 

[OverDone]

antidepressants work best when used in conjunction with therapy.

A GP may not be the best first choice. A psychiatrist, although more expensive, has more experience and specialized knowledge.

be wary of self-diagnosis. there are a multitude of other "things" that could be going on that a medical professional will be able to pinpoint and determine solutions for. the first solution may or may not be the correct one but once the process is started, the two of you can pick away at what works and what doesn't

 

[ad lib]

We do not allow "how do I get <insert name of drug>" threads on Bluelight.

Be honest with your physician. They know what's best.

Closed.