Social Worker Wants Me on Medication

I had my third session with a social worker and I'm not sure what diagnoses she is considering, but she has mentioned that it sounds like I have some symptoms of major depression twice. She is already mentioning medication and presenting it as if I am not going to get better without it. I told her that the side effects scare me, but what really scares me most is that doctors don't even know what these drugs do. It's not like my life is completely falling apart, I work and bring in an income, I have a few sorta kinda friends that I do things with, but there is no doubt that my mood is completely flat line. Nothing makes me happy for more than a split second and everything is an ordeal/chore I have trouble doing laundry, looking for directions, taking care of myself/hygiene etc. I feel like my difficulties with relationships (intense ones and lack thereof) are what's triggering my depression. I've been this way off and on to greater or lesser degrees since last summer but whats really made it worse is the horrible breakup I had this summer, its like it just turned off a switch in my brain. She says research shows that recovering from depression is helped only by a combination of therapy and medication, and she basically said I think the worst possible thing about everything am not in a place where she can work with me. She said I don't "have to" but to "think about it" do you think this means she just wants me on it because it might make things easier or because she thinks I am severely depressed and am just going to tailspin until I am suicidal?

They way you describe it makes me feel like she only thinks you can get well by starting medication. Which is not true per se. You also sound like you are still kind of going on with life even though you are depressed, but are not suicidal right ? (correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't exactly know what kind of qualifications your social worker has, but where I'm from they do not know enough to say such things (even though they'd like to). Actually, the fact that she would say something like that makes me think she is actualy not really that capable of treating someone. You would need at least a doctor but preferrably a psychiatrist to advice you about medication. But speaking to a good therapist might help you more in terms of getting information about treatment without pills.

The thing she is trying to say is that a combination of therapy (talking to someone) whilst taking medication has over all yielded the best results for the most people. Some times (not for everyone) medication makes you feel a little (sometimes alot) better so you are ale to work through whatever it is you need to work through in therapy and get more motivated to change. But it is definatly NOT the only way to help.

Research also shows that excersice such as running can improve depression greatly in certain people.
Depression isn't just about a faulty brain-chemistry because often times people are greatly helped by changing their thoughs, behaviour and environment and not their brain-chemistry.

If you feel like you can try to work through your problems without the help of pills (given that they would help and you wouldn't suffer from side-effects) you have every right to say you want to be treated without them. Cognitive behavioural therapy is an example of a type of treatment that does not require medication.

The fact that you can give a (supposed) reason for why you are depressed makes it more probable that solving this reason/problem will relieve your depression (given that it can be solved).

I think she wants to help you but is not educated enough to give you the right information. She is a social worker, not a therapist/doctor or psychiatrist.

Yokker wrote:They way you describe it makes me feel like she only thinks you can get well by starting medication. Which is not true per se. You also sound like you are still kind of going on with life even though you are depressed, but are not suicidal right ? (correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't exactly know what kind of qualifications your social worker has, but where I'm from they do not know enough to say such things (even though they'd like to). Actually, the fact that she would say something like that makes me think she is actualy not really that capable of treating someone. You would need at least a doctor but preferrably a psychiatrist to advice you about medication. But speaking to a good therapist might help you more in terms of getting information about treatment without pills.

The thing she is trying to say is that a combination of therapy (talking to someone) whilst taking medication has over all yielded the best results for the most people. Some times (not for everyone) medication makes you feel a little (sometimes alot) better so you are ale to work through whatever it is you need to work through in therapy and get more motivated to change. But it is definatly NOT the only way to help.

Research also shows that excersice such as running can improve depression greatly in certain people.
Depression isn't just about a faulty brain-chemistry because often times people are greatly helped by changing their thoughs, behaviour and environment and not their brain-chemistry.

If you feel like you can try to work through your problems without the help of pills (given that they would help and you wouldn't suffer from side-effects) you have every right to say you want to be treated without them. Cognitive behavioural therapy is an example of a type of treatment that does not require medication.

The fact that you can give a (supposed) reason for why you are depressed makes it more probable that solving this reason/problem will relieve your depression (given that it can be solved).

I think she wants to help you but is not educated enough to give you the right information. She is a social worker, not a therapist/doctor or psychiatrist.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe it is standard practice for therapists, psychologists etc. to send someone to their doctor or psychiatrist if they believe the patient should be on medication. I am and have been suicidal, but my therapist does not know this and I do NOT plan on telling her. Maybe she can tell somehow, and is worried about suicide, who knows but the great majority of patients who think about or even make suicide attempts are not successful, there is no easy way to kill yourself, so I'm not worried. When I saw a therapist as a child, this therapist did not even near have the qualifications of a social worker, but she was involved in managing my medication.

It is very possible that the majority of my problems are not solvable because I'm very over-stimulated and have high standards for things. Who even "knows" what is really making me depressed, I'm not even sure, but I think it has to do with my lack of meaningful relationships.

What surprises me is this therapist did NOT come across a the type of clinician who would be a pill pusher. She seems religious and conservative and these people tend to not be in favor of medication. That's why I thought maybe I am more severely depressed than I think and they can tell.

Where I am from a social worker is not a therapist or psychologist, so in my understandig she can't put you on medication, she could refer you to a doctor or psychiatrist who is qualified to make that decision.
And a therapist is always more qualified than a social worker but maybe that's just where I'm from .

Why wouldn't you tell your therapist you are suicidal? I understand it can be hard to be open about everything.

Your social worker may indeed see that your depression is worse than you may think it is. But adding medication to that might actually make you suicidal again. I'm not against medication, I have benefitted greatly from it but I don't want you to have any misconceptions about it.

I feel your reply was somewhat defensive, as if you didn't like what I had to say? You don't really have to state that you think your problems may be unsolveable. High standards and being overstimulated are things that can change very well.

All I'm saying is that you social worker doesn't sound very knowledgeable and you'd be wise to look for someone who is (more) qualified. And it is very possible that you are more depressed than you though you were and medication might help with that but I wouldn't know.

Yokker wrote:Where I am from a social worker is not a therapist or psychologist, so in my understandig she can't put you on medication, she could refer you to a doctor or psychiatrist who is qualified to make that decision.
And a therapist is always more qualified than a social worker but maybe that's just where I'm from .

Why wouldn't you tell your therapist you are suicidal? I understand it can be hard to be open about everything.

Your social worker may indeed see that your depression is worse than you may think it is. But adding medication to that might actually make you suicidal again. I'm not against medication, I have benefitted greatly from it but I don't want you to have any misconceptions about it.

I feel your reply was somewhat defensive, as if you didn't like what I had to say? You don't really have to state that you think your problems may be unsolveable. High standards and being overstimulated are things that can change very well.

All I'm saying is that you social worker doesn't sound very knowledgeable and you'd be wise to look for someone who is (more) qualified. And it is very possible that you are more depressed than you though you were and medication might help with that but I wouldn't know.

You have no idea what you're talking about, a clinical social worker IS a therapist, they are not much different than a psychologist. I didn't say they prescribe medication, I NEVER said that, I said its standard for them to refer someone to a psychiatrist or coordinate care with a GP.

I also said it must be different in my country, a social worker is something different in my country.
I guess you have a problem with me saying your social worker doesn''t sound very good?

I do have an idea what I'm talking about, the things I have told you are true but maybe not the same in your country.

My understanding was that you were uncertain wether or not you had to take medication based off of what your social worker told you. Here's my answer, take it or leave it.

I don't even know if you have a question regarding anything else but regardless I wont be replying to you anymore.

Let's all please keep this conversation nice, OK?

I understand the confusion -- in my country a "social worker" is a person that sits with you and helps you with your bills because you're so sick you can't do them yourselves, or helps you fill forms. A social worker is nowhere near a therapist or psychologist. So I understand where Yokker comes from.

If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of medication it is ultimately up to you anyway. Even if a dozen of psychiatrists all diagnose you with X disorder and prescribe Y pill, they can't make sure you actually take that pill unless you're in a hospital and very strictly monitored. But also we can't diagnose you from here and say "she is right, you need pills" or "naah, you're just fine". I am definitely inclined to agree that only a psychiatrist should do that -- but your therapist might be able to assess correctly that you need psychiatrist's advice and that possibly medication would be helpful.

Big hugs and I hope all gets resolved soon -- in a way that satisfies you and doesn't make you uncomfortable.

Oliveira wrote:Let's all please keep this conversation nice, OK?

I understand the confusion -- in my country a "social worker" is a person that sits with you and helps you with your bills because you're so sick you can't do them yourselves, or helps you fill forms. A social worker is nowhere near a therapist or psychologist. So I understand where Yokker comes from.

If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of medication it is ultimately up to you anyway. Even if a dozen of psychiatrists all diagnose you with X disorder and prescribe Y pill, they can't make sure you actually take that pill unless you're in a hospital and very strictly monitored. But also we can't diagnose you from here and say "she is right, you need pills" or "naah, you're just fine". I am definitely inclined to agree that only a psychiatrist should do that -- but your therapist might be able to assess correctly that you need psychiatrist's advice and that possibly medication would be helpful.

Big hugs and I hope all gets resolved soon -- in a way that satisfies you and doesn't make you uncomfortable.

I know I don't have to take the medication, but I can say with high certainty that there is no "assessing" whether someone needs an antidepressant by a doctor. They will basically offer pills to anyone who says they feel down. This is why I understand why this is common practice for therapists to give this kind of advice nowadays.