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First time going to the Doctors for Depression...what to expect

4 replies

CantstandmLMs · 13/11/2019 16:12

IIt's something I've struggled with since a teenager but I've never dealt with. My mother took me to the GPs at 15 and got me antidepressants...nothing was explained to me and it was thrown on me really and it caused a big stigma for me about the whole thing...I took one of the pills and flushed the others. It was never spoken of again.

I've always had extreme mood swings and terrible PMT years ago. I went to the doctors about how I was pretty much suicidal during PMT and I was just put on the pill.

The closest after this I came to going to the GP re: my mental health was 4 years ago during a break up. I was suicidal and needed help...I managed to bring myself up before that (after 3 months of suicidal thoughts and extreme lows) and had the best year of my life.

Now here we are and this year has felt like a slippery slope into doom for me. I can't even pinpoint why. I'm surrounded by loved ones, have a healthy relationship, stable job, I graduated and have lots to be proud of. I feel in utter dispair and am just about managing to hold it together at work. I feel like crying constantly. I want to stay in bed 24/7. I'm sure seasonal depression has something to do with it but I certainly felt it's grip on me earlier in the year anyway.

I've made an appointment but I'm really nervous. I don't want to cry. How much is a GP going to need to hear? I'm not great at doctors appointments at the best of times.

OP posts:
Digestive28 · 13/11/2019 16:15

They should be kind and compassionate and fine if you cry. Just explain you think you are depressed and what the symptoms are. They may suggest antidepressants, talking therapy and other things eg exercise etc and hopefully you feel you have a choice in what you decide to do. I hope it lifts soon for you.
You may also want to address the pmt, see on the go website which doctor is specialist in women/fertility etc and book an appointment with them to discuss

Digestive28 · 13/11/2019 16:16

They will also want to check you are safe so likely to ask about suicide, self harm and self neglect (not washing as much, not changing clothes etc) so just be honest with them.

CantstandmLMs · 13/11/2019 17:10

Thanks for the responses!

I am holding it together in the sense I have been forcing myself to exercise. I've not given up completely I am just struggling really bad! I guess I want to try anti depressants to see if it lifts the dark cloud for me.

Last time I really managed to help myself with meditation, self discipline and self love and focus.
I have tried it all again of course and getting nowhere and that's what's so hard.

OP posts:
PurpleFrames · 13/11/2019 19:43

There's a commonly used questionnaire to measure how depressed you are (google phq and gad) they might do that or ask some of the questions on it direct.

Hopefully you get a good listener, probs will not get meds on a first appointment but another appt in a few weeks to see how you are doing after some change in environment suggestions

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