Question:
it's related to, but he told me that he is an MD, he will treat the symptoms
and not talk things out with me. Does this sound like the right course of
action or should I seek a therapist? Any help or insight would really be
appreciated.
Answer:
I think the best way to handle this is for your MD to rule out any physical
reason for your anxiety and depression. That would be accomplished by a good
physical and some blood work.
It`s not that uncommon for people to experience a depression after quitting
smoking. It is felt that ciggies have "some" similiar properties to
antidepressants.
If your MD feels that you have nothing physical going on, it would be in your
best interest to move on to a psych doctor. MD`s don`t have the knowledge to
treat depression and anxiety disorders effectively. Would you let a MD treat a
heart condition? I bet you wouldn`t, you would want the best, most
knowledgeable guy for the job and that would be a cardiologist. Your mental
health deserves the same respect :)
I think a psychiatrist would be a good starting point, you need to be diagnosed
and treated and that could be meds and/or therapy.
With a good check up, you rule out any medical
reason for your feelings. If you are depressed or anxious, a
psychiatrist is a great place to go. My regular doctor explained that
he is behind on the latest treatments for anxiety and depression because
he is handling everything else too. Beyond his expertise are
specialists, including my pdoc. You could seek out cognitive behavior
therapy to help you deal with your anxiety, too. This seems to work
much better for some people with anxiety instead of just regular
therapy.
