Is it REALLY depression ???

[veronica]

Yesterday I went to see my family doctor for my full physical.

I'm a very healthy 23 yrs old female but I talked to him about a obsession I have since a couple of month : I'm really scared of brain cancer and other brain sickness. I told him I was becoming so obsessed with that I couldn't stop thinking about it.

At first he suggest me to can do the brain scan , so I would be reassure. But when he saw i was paralyze by the fear of the result he started to ask me more questions he told me I was doing a depression. He said it was very common to people who had cancer it their family to feel like that.

He said I had most of the symptoms which in my case are :
-I'm very tired all the time and I oversleep
-I eat a lot more
-I have a lot of problem concentrating
-It's impossible to make decision
-Lost of interest for my hobbies
-Lost of my sexual life
-Being obsessed with the fear of having brain cancer

He put me on cipralex and I have to go back in 1 month to see if I'm better.

The thing is I DON'T feel depress or down or sad....my doctor said not all people with depression cry or feel down a.... but I just can't believe i'm doing a depression... I love my spouse , I love my job , I'm overall very happy....is it still possible ???

Veronica

Sorry for my english , not my first language

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Whether or not you are depressed, your description of obsessive worrying will likely be helped by the medication your doctor has prescribed, and the medications are also beneficial for various anxiety disorders. I would suggest that you take it as directed. If you continue to experience problems, go back and ask him/her to prescribe something else (some medications in this family are better antiobsessionals than others, especially Luvox and Prozac).

You might also consider seeing a therapist to help you with other strategies for managing obsessive worrying.