The whole field is a load of croc. These 'doctors' diagnose confused people with made up diseases so they can take their money. There's nothing wrong with most of the people who think they are depressed. They have no idea what real depression is.

Also for clarification to those that don't get it, a psychologist != a psychiatrist.

A psychologist is someone you want to visit if you want to talk out your depression. They don't focus on drugs (and often aren't even allowed to prescribe any), instead on other methods of dealing with depression. As mentioned before I would try this approach first.

A psychiatrist is someone who is going to try and treat it with more than just the above. They're the ones that will prescribe the drugs and such. I would only see one of these if a psychologist doesn't work out for you first.

Also keep in mind that no one here is a doctor and the best anyone has to offer is their own experiences which especially in the field of the mind is different for everyone.

Homeopathic solutions by their definition cannot work. Here's the idea of homeopathy: Take whatever substance that ails you, then dilute it 1000 times, then do it again 1000 times and again 1000 times. Homeopathic solutions cannot contain any of the original substance. Not like it matters since the original substance isn't even what you want.

Example, say you want a sleeping pill. A homeopathic sleeping pill might have caffeine that has been diluted so many times there is no caffeine left in the solution. The idea is that the rest of the solution contains the "ghost structure" of the original and thus cures illness.

Homeopathy was created by a quack in the 19th century. People laughed at him then, it ruined his career. Because it makes no sense and does not work. Now, some clever marketing ****heads decided it would be a good idea to sell it to people.

Every homeopathic medicine, every one ever made, is a placebo. No exceptions.

Not every case of depression is caused by the same things

It's caused by chemical imbalances in all cases, 100% of the time. How else would people be able to dismiss any personal connection or past origin? If it was anything other than a biological disorder, they would be forced to face the inherent shamefulness of mental illness.

Of course.

In all seriousness, I read a paper a while ago that basically said depression is usually caused by a problem you're having trouble solving and how suicide is always the brain's Plan B. It's why so many people on antidepressants end up offing themselves: because, by chemically ending the depression, you're interfering with your body's natural problem-solving mechanism.

It's caused by chemical imbalances in all cases, 100% of the time. How else would people be able to dismiss any personal connection or past origin? If it was anything other than a biological disorder, they would be forced to face the inherent shamefulness of mental illness.

I, too, have depression. I've had it for the majority of my life. Let me tell you of my experience.

I underwent, in the mid-to-late 90's, aggressive treatment (SSRI trials) and therapy for minor depression. However, I had a several adverse reactions to the medication that, at the time, was understood as only a worsening of my condition. Thus the increase of dosages and, in effect, the worsening of the reaction. The reaction was in the form of major depression, skitzophrenia, bipolar tendancies, and OCD. After discontinuing the medication, I still suffer from these to varying degrees, but not as extreme as they used to.

Having this said, I'm NOT trying to discourage you from seaking treatment. For some time, I studied psychology. In my studies, I learned that (in some forms of depression, like mine) treatment is more effective when coupled with changes in lifestyle. Without such changes, medication would be less effective, if not harmful to the condition. It is my belief that all conditions would be better treated if conditions in the patient's life are improved during or before treatment.

I would suggest seeing couselors first, before going the route of seaking medication. Even small improvements to your life would, probably, improve the effectiveness of the treatment conciderably.

If the condition improves after lifestyle changes, you should still try to seak treatment, since the recurrance of feelings in the form of doubts and mood swings may be possible. In addition, after beginning medication, communication with your doctors and couselor is extremely important. Any adverse feelings you may get while on the medication is, most likely, a sign that it isn't working for you, not a sign that you're getting worse.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

My unprofessional street doctor advice:

Check your eating, exercising and sleeping habits. I give this advice to everyone who comes to me with any psychological issue that seems unrelated to actual events in their life. Almost every one has immediately noticed a difference. I myself am really overcoming a number of my own problems like insomnia and apathy by simply eating a big well-balanced breakfast after working out to a sweat with a lighter dinner so I don't get a burst of energy in the middle of the 8 hour night. All of this helps equalize some of those brain juices that keep you balanced.

Obi_kwiet is perfectly fine, but he's desperate to find some disease, something that can be treated with medication, so he can get rid of it without making any effort. He's unwilling to admit that his ennui is his fault, so he searches for something blame it on. Ironically, his aversion to making an effort at examining his life and discovering what's wrong with it is a symptom of the disease he believes he has.

I'm having trouble parsing your internet sarcasm, but do you actually mean to claim that mental illness is shameful?

No. He's saying people want it to be a completely beyond their control so that they don't have to take responsibility for it.

I don't understand why some people are so quick to dismiss antidepressants.

like most other psychiatric medications, are a machete doing a scalpel's job.

Whoa now, I think SSRI's are incredibly over diagnosed