How to talk to a doctor about depression

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I would like to nnow how you've approached depreession with your GP.

A bit of background. I'm 38 and have been mildly to moderately depressed since my teens. About 5 years ago I had the worst bout of depression, and visited my GP. I just said I had snapped at someone at work and just didn't enjoy things anymore. He prescribed me prozac (or the generic), which I took for 9 months, and it worked wonders - no side-effects and I had no guilt, anxiety, could concentrate, my memory came back. After about 18 months after stopping, though, I was back where I started - my memory and concentration are so poor I can't read or watch a film, and some mornings I just don't care about anything..

Now I'm having a bad time of it again, and would like to try medication again. How would you go about asking for help without sounding like you're just a bit down in the dumps?

Also, as an aside, I've moved to the States in the meantime and have health insurance through Kaiser. I know they vary greatly, but what are GPs like here in the States, are they sympathetic, or am I going to get the 'you'll get over it' or 'pull your socks up' routine? Are they likely to try and send me for 'talking therapies'? What sort of drugs do they prescribe here for mile to moderate depression?

Hehe, just realised, I'm getting anxious and depressed about getting help for my anxiety and depression!

hey- im sorry you feel like that. ive had severe depression through my teens and 20s, so i do know what its like.

anyway, you should ask your quesiton again, but say 'MD', as no american will know what GP is- so they wont read the question, and you're really asking them for advice.

my concept of US healthcare is that they are really over ready to medicate people; and depression is really common, so i wouldnt worry. as the above answer says- tehy will know all about it. explaining your AS may be more problematic if you're out in sticksville.

on the other hand, id also advise you to try other things first- before i knew i had AS (im a year younger than you), i tried different things.. i found a non dairy, non wheat diet was amazing- i felt MILES better; def mood improvement. unfortunatly, as im so stricken w food intolerances, i couldnt find much to eat, so do it occasionally. you'll know its a common rec'd diet for AS, with mood improvement being a concomitant effect.

a b complex vitamin has also been proven (i cant post links for some reason, sorry- google vitamin b depression) to be a great combatant of depression, as effective as SSRIs for moderate depression. i found this, and has everyone i know with depression- inc people with severe depression who were on prozac etc.
take a double dose for two weeks; i guarentee a difference. just make sure you get a good brand- solgar etc.

also- SO WORTHY- exercise- but it does work. apart from developing numerous sport etc obsessions, this was one of the best things i tried (eg- taught myself to swim, turned out to be freakishly fast- decided to swim the channel etc).

i know this is all really dull stuff, but at least the second option is pill popping (thus easy)- so you may as well try it for a coupld of weeks. if that doesnt work- do go to your gp (MD).
good luck.

Make a list of the symptoms that you have, and bring it to your appointment, so that you don't forget to mention any symptoms that you might have.