Expert: Ivan Goldberg, M.D. - 5/31/2011

Question
hi, im nicole, im 14 and have bulimia and depression. i have recently started therapy and am supposed to be put on an anti-depressant next week. i realized that looking back on the paast couple years i have had a few instances where for about a week ive been very energetic and happy and hyper and stuff for no reason and then i get EXTREMELY depressed after. and for the past month or 2 ive noticed that i have been happy and energetic for about a day or 2 and then right after for like 2 weeks or so i'll be severly depressed and have considerd suicide(my therapist knows) before my mood returns to a mild depression i have had for years. so do you think i could be bipolar and should i bring this up to my therapist and could the antidepressants actually make this worse or could they help it?


-nicole

Answer
Hi Nichole . . .

You are right in thinking that if you have significant bipolar traits that antidepressants might not be right for you.

I think you should be ween by a psychiatrist for a diagnostic evaluation and only after that evaluation should medication be prescribed for you. I have seen very dangerous things happen when a therapist convinces a non-psychiatric physician ri prescribe antidepressants.

Best regards . . .

Ivan
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