Depression: a case study

Hey all,

I have to warn you that this post may be hard to read, or, at least, it's hard for me to write. Almost five years ago, I was diagnosed with severe depression, and the truth was I lied about how much I had thought about suicide. However, after my diagnosis, I was sent to a general practitioner who gave me anti-depressants. While I felt better, the truth is that I was not fixed. Also, I may have dealt with this depression for years before my actual diagnosis. However, I took the pills and felt better, but I didn't receive any therapy which was a mistake. I went back to college where I became a psychology major. However, the underlying issues still remained. Intimacy was almost impossible because I felt unlovable, unable to be fixed, fat, ugly, and stupid. I honestly thought "Who would want me?". For another four years, I would suffer from these thoughts until one recent day I used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Now, I treated myself which I don't recommend. If you think you're depressed, I recommend seeing a therapist. But, the point is that I openly challenged these beliefs and discovered something amazing. I was wrong. The thoughts were way off the mark. I was worthy of love and care as evidenced by my family and friends. I could fix myself as well as other problems. Some women were attracted to me. I couldn't be ugly. My grades were good, and I kicked ass at trivial pursuit, so I couldn't be stupid either, probably. My entire outlook changed, and I was a different person. I was finally hopeful about my future, and I knew that I would be okay. It was the most wonderful moment of my entire life. As I looked back upon that unspeakable period, I felt sadness because I had squandered so much, but the sadness would not last long because I was no longer trapped by it. I was finally free. If you think you're depressed, there are many online tests. You just have to be honest. If you are depressed, you should seek help right away. While I'm not a huge fan of drugs, the best treatment is a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and anti-depressants.