How to start the conversation?

[mocha delight]

As the title suggests I don’t know how to bring up the topic of depression & anxiety with my gp when I see her on the 13th. As she thought it was from when I was being tested for coeliac disease (which I now have my diagnosis of that) but yet I haven’t been the same since as the gastro specialist I did have completely mishandled my case & put me through really unnecessary stress for 7 months during that time. She also had me do in that time a phycologist quiz which my score for that was very high as in near the end of the top end of it + she did admit she thought I was slightly depressed ages ago. So I need advice on how to go about bringing up the topic of depression to my gp as after trying to talk about it to two family members one who that conversation really did not go well with and the other one completely ignored the topic so at a loss on how to go bringing it up to my gp. I also had a breakdown on the 25th of February, could not stop crying and was having some very dark thoughts & feelings. I’m also getting more & more drained mentally and physically which I don’t know how I’ll be coping with it for much longer or how I still am as I was past my coping limit last time I saw my gp.

[blondguy]

Hi Mocha Delight

you have made an excellent point with your thread topic....We have spoken before on another thread and thankyou for being a part of the Beyond Blue forum family!

You are stronger than you think by discussing your depression with two family members and I feel for you with the lack of understanding you experienced

GP's have a greater understanding re our mental health than even 10 years ago....I still see my GP every 6-8 weeks for a 'tune up' with my depression and 'leftover anxiety'

Even if you print out this page including my response....your GP will understand. Can I ask if you 'get along' reasonably well with your GP?

You dont have to endure these horrible feelings Mocha....There is always hope..This is my 37th year with mental health problems and you are doing well by posting about it as well as you have

we are here and listening

Paul

[mocha delight]

Thanks for your reply Paul any tips/advice on how to bring it up with my gp? And should I also bring up the fact that I’ve had 3 cousins last year tried to take their lives (all 3 tried to overdose) but did not succeed? As that might lead her to take my depression serious as I’ve thought about overdosing a few times before and that was at least 5 years roughly before I even thought about being tested for coeliac disease. And yes I’m on 2 prescription medications with depression as a side effect but I think it started in between when I was around 14 - 16 sometime even if if I had a very slight case of it at first. But these 2 prescription medications with it as a side effect I started just before I turned 19 or just after so that’s 3-5 years after when I think my depression started.

[Aunt Jobiska]

I'd just start out by saying 'I think I might be clinically depressed'. You can even write everything you want to say down on a piece of paper, and just give her the paper. In fact all you have to do is hand the paper over! That's if you're not in a puddle of tears, which does give the game away a bit. I hope you've got a great GP who can offer you direction, there is help out there.