HomeAnswersPsychiatrymood disordersI have been suffering from mood disorders and depression. Please help.

What is the treatment of mood disorders and depression?

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Published At January 5, 2024
Reviewed AtJanuary 5, 2024

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am a female medical student. I need help from a psychiatrist about my changeable mood, depression and excitement occur alternately. When I am with people, I used to cover my deep sadness for a reason and sometimes unknown. I keep searching for something to make me worry, sad, and guilty. I have to overthink the things that happened and are happening. My overthinking takes a lot of time and energy, and I sometimes feel so exhausted that I want to disappear or die to end this.

I care a lot about people and my relationship with friends and family, although I sometimes feel that no one loves or cares about me. Sometimes I see their faces looking in a wrong way to me, like the look that someone gives you when you do something terrible to him, and I think of them as if they are talking about me and hating me and I keep thinking why then I decide to face them and know then realize that it is not about me. So I tried so hard to suppress this feeling, these thoughts, and the anxiety and sadness that resulted. I want to add my mild social anxiety, and I have tremors and tachycardia, sweating in some situations relieved by Propranolol. In college, I keep smiling, no matter how I am known for this. But my doubts that people are thinking me wrong are killing me, and I cannot stand them anymore.

Last year, I tried to write all my thoughts before sleep to clear my mind, and it worked for a short period and on ordinary days, but it does not work on days of crisis, deep sadness, and crying. I even challenged myself not to cry, and I succeeded for three months without crying, but I had a problem with my father one day, and I cried a lot. I noticed that I mostly cry because he is so harsh and mean to me, even for minor things. His refusal to do many things that I ask in a mean way with offensive words makes me scared to face the world or ask anything from anyone. For an entire day to ask a friend or colleague for something takes a lot of time. I have so much studying that I have no time for, so I feel exhausted. I am a good student, but my grades are getting lower because of this. I even considered postponing this year of study and trying to solve this issue myself, then returning to college. You may offer me to visit a psychiatrist, but in my city, there is only one psychiatrist, and he is also our professor at college, so I cannot tell him anything due to privacy concerns. It is a stigma to have a psychiatric illness. I am unsure if I have a psychiatric or personality; it is my first time asking for professional help. Even I read about psychiatry, and I see myself as having some criteria of bipolar or some personality disorders can fit but not all or in a mild way even though sometimes I become so mad and sad and break things.

I need your help. I feel so sad and lonely. I want to know happiness again. I want to feel well again, but every time I think well, the problem restarts again. I cannot remember it has been since early teenage or late childhood, but it is recurrent, and I am so tired this year. It is not improving and is getting worse.

Thanks.

Answered by Dr. Prashant Gohil

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

First, you are a medical student, so you know your symptoms very well and their causes. Psychiatric diagnoses, as you know, are not easy or quick to make. It takes a lot of time and patience. It requires detailed longitudinal history, assessment, family history, etc. Now, whatever you have written here in your query, it looks like you are having generalized anxiety with secondary depression and some underlying personality traits. But this is only a working diagnosis. If we consider this condition, you need to consult a psychiatrist. Now, you have only one psychiatrist, and it is your professor. And because of stigma or embarrassment, you are afraid to consult him. Here, I have two things to say. First is, what do you prefer? You do not have to think about stigma to get cured and eliminate these issues. You can either meet him personally to get help or email him and request him to maintain confidentiality.

You require antidepressants and cognitive therapy at this moment, so he is the person who can help you. If this is not possible, you can consult us here anytime, and we can guide you on reducing anxiety and depression. Resolving the symptoms will take a few months, but it will help. I would have started you on a low dose of Escitalopram, around 5 mg, and Clonazepam 0.25 mg. Cognitive therapy and relaxation therapy as augmenting treatment will help you. You make a proper timetable for routine and follow it properly. Eat healthy, sleep adequately, and do exercise and meditation regularly. Please get back to me after following this.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Prashant Gohil
Dr. Prashant Gohil

General Practitioner

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