Hello, i'm mentally ill.. and also British

[robvalue]

I've had cognitive behaviour therapy before for my first batch of depression, it tries to address negative thought patterns and to assess the rationality of thoughts that come into your head. It definitely helped me and was a big part of recovering that time.

I've since become depressed again, mainly due to having ME. I'm going to be trying a new form of CBT, I'm unsure if the details but I've been told it's different to what I tried before. It's all talking therapy, aimed at analysing your thoughts and attitudes. Of course it won't be for everyone, but I would recommend giving it a try. It tends to seem stupid and pointless at first, but can achieve results if you stick with it. It's not meant to be a cure of course, it's a coping mechanism.

First time round I was on Prozac, which helped a lot. Second time round I was put on it again, but I had a bad reaction. I've since been prescribed several others which didn't help much, and finally venlafaxine which made a big difference pretty quickly. It balanced me just enough to find the strength to fight the depression rather than simple drowning in it.

I'd say it's worth talking to your doctor about treatment and trying other anti depressants. Each person reacts differently, and you may have to try several, but I can vouch for the fact that the right one can make a noticeable difference.

And yes, I'm with you in the apathy and dulled emotions. Every day I fight the urge to collapse on the floor and give up, as well as the urge to kill myself.