The shrink didn't work out, but I DID get antistress body wash

[Bossy Monkey]

It smells like a barber shop. Who knew? So if you want some antistress aromatherapy, just go hang out in a barber shop.

My previous shrink had left the practice to teach in Georgia, but he did refer me to another doctor in the same clinic before he left. Somewhat jaundiced on the psychiatric profession, I let the matter lie for a year or more, but finally decided I had to do something, as you can only tread water for so long. Sooooo I made an appointment, and went. The previous shrink had been billing me, so I figured that as this was the same clinic, I'd be able to resume being billed. WRONG! Dude wanted to get paid before any talking or prescribing could proceed. So I kinda pitched a fit and walked out. (I was as nice as possible to the poor lady forced to be the go-between; she was very professional and I told her so.)

Thus, you get me at my irascible Shania-hating worst for the forseeable future, until I figure out another approach to getting back on SSRIs. (Don't worry though; I'm no threat to myself or others. Just chronically depressed.)

[The empressof all]

1. Just ask your GP for a script

They prescribe ssri's like tap water now that the drug companies have beefed up their sales pitch. Most family doctors will be happy to do this for you and you get to avoid the shrinks as well.

[salvorhardin]

2. Hang in there

It does get better eventually. Trite, I know, but really it does.

[voter x]

3. Chronic Depression

I had a shrink that gave me the diagnosis "Chronic Depression."
Recently,I also decided to resume taking pshycotropic medicine, and the new Doctor said that was a sham diagnosis. Not that I assume thats what you were told, but I think that maybe there is some of us, more on the chronic side then the manic...What are you taking, if I may ask?

[Bossy Monkey]

8. Most recently Luvox. Got scared off due to some liver damage

but figured I'd give it another go. Don't know what I'm planning to do now, apart from the poison-pen letter to the clinic of course...

[voter x]

10. Do you have any experience with Luvox?

That is one I haven't tried. Lexapro is my poison of the day. I haven't heard of liver problems with any other SSRI other then Serzone. One I do advise to stay away from is Effexor....highly addictive, with too many side effects.

[Bossy Monkey]

11. Yes, I took it for 2 years. They all cause minor liver damage, AFAIK

Searchable PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) here: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/fluvox_ad.htm
Link is specifically to Luvox side effects, but you can search any drug you know the name of. It's exactly the same information in the PDR (I checked), but machine-searchable.

[NashVegas]

4. Put Some Yoga In Your Life

it does wonders.

[radwriter0555]

5. join a gym. get out, WALK, RUN, BIKE, HIKE. All far more affordable

and WAY more beneficial than drugs or some greedy idiot.

[Snow]

6. If you'd like to do more talk therapy, look for someone who does

cognitive behavioral therapy. This technique has been proven to work, and it's not this dig down deep for all the pain in your past sort of thing either. If you want a look at it, look for books on depression treatment by Beck, who pretty much built the field. and if you gonna do an ssri, do this along with it - also been studied, & the combination works better than the pieces.

[Bossy Monkey]

7. Yeah, I read "Learned Optimism," and cried like a baby

due to finding that there IS, or at least could be, hope. I didn't have a lot of success with talk therapy. Just really want to get on an SSRI to get the edge off the depression and irritability. In an ideal world, it would be nice to return to what society considers productivity, but at this point I'd be willing to accept being able to enjoy any aspect of life for longer than five minutes at a run.

[cheezus]

9. smoke some pot

seriously.

as far as getting a rx for SSRIs, your family doctor will do it.