I think I am in depression. Please help me.

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a final-year obstetrics and gynecology post-graduation student. I am taking my MS OBG exam in the next 20 days. I have been having some issues in my marriage with my husband. Most of the issues happened because we have been staying far away for three years. It has got so poisoned that it will only get sorted out when I go back and start living with him. The present problem is that I am not able to concentrate on my studies at all. I really need to study well and I am desperate to clear this exam as fast as possible and go back home. I keep crying all the time with my books open. Fight conversations keep popping into my head all the time. I feel miserable. I have tried every conservative measure from counseling to music, but nothing works. I feel like a depression now. There is no time left. I was never this weak before. I just need some medication only for a month till my exams, to concentrate and stay focused on my studies. To avoid distraction, crying, and less negative thinking. It is like a do-or-die situation for me. Please help me. And most of the psychiatric drugs are either not available in the medical store or are prescription drugs. So, please give me a common drug and make it available to me. I will be really thankful to you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand what you are going through and you have my sympathies for the same. You are dealing with an episode of major depression here. Feeling miserable, having difficulty concentrating, crying spells, pessimistic thinking, ruminations, etc are the typical symptoms. The good thing is that it is very much treatable with medications and you still have 20 days in hand. I would recommend the tablet Sertraline 50 mg in the morning after breakfast. It is easily available. It is non-sedating and in fact a little activating, so you might need a sedating medicine at night time to help you fall asleep. It is weight neutral, as well. Along with this, you can take the tablet Clonazepam 0.5 mg at night. It will help you fall asleep while on Sertraline. You can take it in the day as well when you feel really anxious. Feeling sleepy or anxious is not an issue with you, you need not take it. You should start seeing improvement in the first week itself. Continue them at least till your exams are over and ideally for six months.

Thank you.