The following are excerpts from some of the many inquiries we receive and respond to each year. We hope you find them helpful.

"Recently my husband was diagnosed with Severe Depression. He's started on an antidepressant, and is 3 wks into recovery.

He's doing very well in opening up to solve the problems which began in his youth at about 13.

In retrospect over the last 1½ yrs since his mom died I can see where every symptom took place.

Had I known even 6 mos ago what I know now I could have gotten him help before it resulted in rushing him to the hospital hysterical & suicidal.

What I'm looking for is a good book to read about Depression & Recovering from it. I hope you can recommend some detailed reading because the pamphlets I've seen aren't enough.

Something I can gauge by to ensure I'm knowledgeable enough to know if it's going well or he's slipping backwards. "
TH in MO
 

I had been struggling for years, and after I was laid off due to... [a] merger it was particularly tough.  Fortunately I confided about my problems to a friend, who surprised me by saying that she was similar and had been taking an antidepressant for years. She had always seemed so capable, so I thought she was cruelly taunting me, at first.

I asked her if she was concerned about the possible long-term side effects of the new drugs.  I've heard it said that they haven't been around long enough to know what it could do to you after 20 years. She'd done some research, and she thought that the certain harm from depression, definitely outweighed the slight possibility that this antidepressant could do damage in the long run. Would you agree? [Editor's Note: Yes we would.]

I also realized that all my struggling on my own hadn't really worked. My primary doctor prescribed an SSRI which works pretty well, and enabled me to get it together to find a new job. (The only side effect so far has been to slow me down sexually, which is not a bad thing in my case. Actually.)

I still feel rather anxious, however. My friend thinks I should see a specialist - do I need to? [Editor's Note: With comorbid anxiety, we recommend it.] As I'm about to relocate for the new job, I'd appreciate a list of specialists in Northern New Jersey.
CM in MA
 

Please send a packet of information on depression. I represent a unit in our college health clinic. We see more and more young people identifying that they are depressed, manic depressed, compulsive, etc.  I would like staff here to better understand depression so we are more receptive to it.
ES in KS

We are always in need of encouraging stories to share with others.
Send to:
NAFDI - RS
P.O. Box 2257
New York, NY 10116 USA