Hi Godisfaithful,

I guess it depends on your diagnosis.

I was diagnosed with circumstancial depression at first, but after two severe bouts (that I recognize as clinical depression in retrospect) and two "crashes" (close to non-functional depression) I was finally diagnosed with depression as a chemical imbalance which is part of the "way I was made".

I felt the way that you do (symptoms starting to return) which was set off by my stressful circumstances (the main ones include: terminal illness and eventual death of a close friend, grad studies, increased workload at work, discipline/disrespect issues with my students at work, and conflict with the employee I supervised at work). I was also off of my medication. But I thought that I was doing okay and just naturally reacting to stressful circumstances. When I noticed symptoms returning, I went to the doctor, but, because at that time my diagnosis was circumstancial, she told me that my body was just getting used to being on the medication (and I was at such a low dose at the time that the medication wasn't having much effect anyway), so to try to cope with other coping strategies that I've learned. I kept going without medication and eventually "crashed" into the near non-functioning state.

If your diagnosis is chemical, then don't wait.

See also the comment by Sarita on August 3 to tina's post on July 27...it sure encouraged me!

Laurie,

Praise God, He was able to encourage you through me.

Thank you for sharing your encouragement.

May we all be used by God to keep encouraging us all on this journey of life with Him.

God Bless,

Hi Godisfaithful,

You had mention you were on meds for 4.5 years. Were you diagnosed at that time. That seems to be a long time to be on meds for circumstantial depression.

I just want to share with you something about me. I have been struggling with depression majority of my life. I became a Christian at the age of 20. I was not put on meds until I was 25, that is when I decided to get professional help and did not realize what was going on with me. Depression was normal for me, but getting to non-functional area and extremely suicidal was not.

Well my dh and I was so shocked when I was told I would be on meds for the rest of my life. I was not told my dianosis. I was told I would be on the meds.

Well 14 years later I finally understand what the doctor was saying. I wish he was clearer then.

In those 14 years I have been on and off medicine. I was so ashamed I had to take medicine. I had been around to many uneducated Christian leaders who condemned anti-depressants. I was so naive about the illness as well. I just listen to their leadership.

Well I have evaluated my life and realized that the doctor was trying to say I was clinical depressed but obviously did not know how to explain it at the time. Perhaps he was on too many meds himself. I don't know. In the meantime I have researched this illness quite a bit as well.

I share all this to say. You don't need to be ashamed to be on the medicine. It is like those who need insulin for diabetes or low blood pressure medicine for those to lower there blood pressure, because it is a genetic disease.

If you truly are diagnosed in needing the medicine. than get back on the medicine. It is truly a blessing God has provided the medicine to help us. Do not let the devil steal that away from you. God does not want us spiraling down all the time. He loves us, He wants the best for us in our condition.

I will be praying for you to know what is the right thing to do.

God Bless,

Thank you all for your advice and encouragement and most of all your prayers. I've always been uncertain about the nature of my depression. Apparently it was diagnosed as chemical at one point because they put me on the meds and they helped for awhile... I'll try to keep monitoring myself as closely as I can and figure out what to do...