I have been diagnosed with clinical depression... my question is, will I be dependent on the medicines for life, forever? I mean I feel so rotten without them, I can't face my life and only want to end it all... but I am too tired to do that... I just want to sleep and not wake up.

Oh tanman, I know how you feel. I have felt that way many times. I hope that you know your not alone. Some people have to stay on meds their whole life, some don't. I know that people that are diagnosed with other things besides depression, ie; bipolor and similar things have to stay on meds, but clinical depression can have stages. You may just be going through some rough times and just need it for now as a crutch. However, if you need to take if forever and it makes you feel better than isn't it worth it? It's nothing to be ashamed of, lots of people are on antidepressants. I'm so glad you went for help and got something. Don't stop there. You can get a lot of feelings that you don't even know are there by talking to someone.
I wish you the best of luck, and if you ever want to talk privately, my e-mail address is on my profile. Take care, I'm pulling for you, and thinking of you. Puppy

I was also diagnosed with clinical depresion (that´s the main reason why I study clinical psychology! ) and I had to use medications for a long time. I know for a fact that there is a posibility that you may not need to use them forever and ever. I have not been using them for five years.
My depression started from ever since I can remember. I remember I was like 6 and just wanted to become an angel so I wouldn´t have to cry no more. There are different types of depression. Depending on the type of depression you may need to use it for the rest of your life or not. Also it could be you will need it for a certain time, from time to time.
Like I told you with the transmitters, medicine can be as succesfull as therapy (in some kinds of depressions), in other cases it can´t.
What you should do is ask this question to your doctor. If you want you can tell me what he told you and I can give you all the feedback I can about it.
Just remember: The important thing is that you feel good and if that includes having to take meds for the rest of your life you should go for it. Science is giving us a chance to live a happy and complete life!
Lucia

tanman-- I was recently put on Wellbutrin and I feel better than I have in a long time and I'm not even up to the dosage they want me to take.
My doctor said that no I might not have to take the pills for a long time. It just depends on how you are doing. I also found out that when you get a cold or flu or bronchitis that it can trigger depression. Which I am sick all the time. She also said that being depressed does something to your immune system so depressed people tend to get more sick. So be thankful you can take the pills and feel better and if they are not working call your doctor ASAP. I can't believe how long I wasted waiting and not going to a shrink to get help. Maybe you need to talk to your doc about being tired. One of the meds they had me on made me want to sleep all the time.
Feel better

There are so many reasons why we get depressed. Just there are many "quick fixes" and "quick cures". It's really scary!
No matter what the reason is depression stikes you down, there is One who understands. He will give perfect peace to those who ask! No medicine needed, no man or woman shrink can help you better than He can.
God loves you as you are! Go ahead and take the meds and go talk with whomever, these are good things unless you feel they aren't helping you at all, but Jesus is always there waiting for you to turn your life over to Him.
One step at a time... One day at a time...One minute at a time. God will never fail you.
Begin each day, every minute giving Him your depression and believe one day you won't need those pills to feel good; they are tempary fixes. He is offering a permant cure. Karen

I feel for you, I don't know your whole situation, But I am starting to become Depressed and not wanting to leave my home or even go outside, the simple things in life, I don't even want to do. I am 35 year old,married and had 2 children with in 1 year. I hope things get better for you. And don't be ashamed about your depression. I hope the medicine helps you, it helped my sister. But if someone tells you that you are just imagining it, just ignore them and seek the help you are getting. Good Luck!!

I'm not a doctor but I have (played one on TV? NO!) suffered from manic-depression for years. Be careful to distinguish situational depression from clinical depression. With clinical depression you get depressed when there's nothing to be depressed about.

Also remember that when you are depressed your whole body is depressed: immune system, central nervous system, respitory, circulatory, everything. I have to pay for my own meds but I still plan to stay on them as long as they allow me to function.