Have you been diagnosed with depression but later found it was due to something else?

[slushie]

Excuse long title can't think of anything shorter.

Brief background - suffered with depression and anxiety since childhood and have now been battling this for nearly 18 years. I don't want it to just be the way I am. Due to other health problems I am wondering if I have a B12 deficiency. When I was looking at the symptoms I saw one was depression. I suppose I am clinging onto the hope that my depression is due to something else rather than just being me.

Has anyone ever had this happen?

[violator]

Yes. I was diagnosed with PND. Medicated, hospitalised due to severe side effects from the medication, given more medication, therapy, counselling.

After finally weaning off all medication I realised it was all hormonal with me.

Oestrogen patches cured it completely.

[WaffleWiffle]

I was diagnosed with pre-natal depression whilst pregnant with #1. Four pregnancies and 10 years later I now know it was just usual pregnancy exhaustion that I didn't cope well with, not depression.

[Cailleach]

Yes; mine turned out to be due to the fact that I was actually autistic.

Took me 36 years to work it out on my own though....the NHS were no help whatsoever in that regard, other than finally confirming what I suspected.

[chickensaresafehere]

Yes,went to the GP about 3months ago,suspecting a hormone imbalance(this is my long term GP,who has treated me for depression before),he instantly wanted to put me back on citalopram,which I didn't want,so he prescribed me Prozac.
I didn't take it but sought out a counsellor I had used before.She has stared me on a course of CBT,which already is making a massive difference to me.
I'm so glad I didn't relent & take the Prozac but stopped & thought about a better course of action.
I'm not saying what I decided to do is the right thing for everyone but it's working for me & I'm drug free.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

I think there are a usually a number of interlinked factors involved and a number of ways to deal with them.

[Bonsoir]

Depression is very often a symptom rather than a root cause.

[Bonsoir]

It's incredibly important, with mental health states such as depression, anxiety, stress etc to first consider whether they are not a perfectly rational response to unpleasant circumstances and/or people. So much so-called treatment of depression and anxiety focuses on changing the person when changing circumstances might be much more effective and appropriate. A lot of mental health treatment is insidious victim blaming.

[DocDaneeka]

It's incredibly important, with mental health states such as depression, anxiety, stress etc to first consider whether they are not a perfectly rational response to unpleasant circumstances and/or people

^this

[MollyBdenum]

I sort of agree, but I did find that when I had depression caused by my circumstances (utterly shit job and bullying boss) the medication gave me enough energy and hopefulness to leave my job and change my circumstances.

[SixImpossible]

When you have been battling depression and anxiety for many years, discovering the true cause may not be the end of the road. You may have years- and years-worth of depressive thinking habits to unlearn.

I, too, have struggled with depression for most of my life. Undiagnosed until my first episode of severe PND, when I recognised my mental state. A later relapse turned out to be peri-menopause. HRT worked wonders for that. And I am currently being assessed for ASD, which could account for my long term depressions.

But, despite unravelling what I believe to be the root cause of my depressions, and feeling so much better for it, I still find myself thinking in a depressive manner. Many self-beliefs are based upon my depressions, and are very firmly rooted. Even when my depressions are completely cured, I still find myself thinking in depressive style, and therefore fall back into depression very easily.

I have never taken ADs, I don't know whether they help you think more constructively. After years of being depressed I don't think that just finding a physical source will provide the full solution.