Counselling and anti depressents! Confused please help!

[naichick]

Hi everyone, i just started counselling (have had 2 sessions so far) for anxiety. I wanted to process everything that had gone on when I had anxiety and depression when I was pregnant and postnatally. I was on citalopram for 2 years but came off them earlier this year as I just hated the idea of being on them.
I think the counselling has sort of uncovered a depression that has been there a very long time and I'm realising I haven't been truly happy for a long time, but I have just never been honest with myself about it until now.
This week I felt at breaking point feeling like i have just been pretending to be happy and ok for so long so I saw my GP who has prescribed sertraline. But now I'm just not sure if I just need counselling or both. Does counselling uncover long buried feelings and resolve them or do I need medication too?

Sorry its long, I'm just confused about what to do next and was wondering about other people's experiences of this?

Thanks

Counselling is very difficult - when I was having psychotherapy I started having flashbacks - it was terrifying. I would say it's normal to feel bad afterwards. I'm on sertraline and have found it to be brilliant personally.

Yes, counselling stirs things up, but a good counsellor should help you resolve things too in the long run.

I wouldn't stop now that you've started as that would be the worst thing to do, but do bring this up right at the start of your next session and take it from there,

As you know, you might feel worse rather than better for a few weeks on a new pill too, but I hope it helps.

Thank you so much for your replies.

I do feel absolutely relieved that I am being honest and taking meaningful steps to recovery.

I will carry on the counselling for sure. I did totally underestimate how hard it it though.

God yes!

For me as well I found it very hard to deal with someone just looking at me so much. Usually I'm very good at deflecting people away from asking questions, but there's no escaping a therapist's gaze...