OP, I am assuming you are getting competent medical and psychological help - Or should be... While medication works relatively quickly, I don't think it's usually the full answer to depression. For one thing you develop resistance to any antidepressant and it requires higher dosages to work along with higher levels of side effects. A psychiatrist is an MD with specialized training. They are better equipped than a general MD to prescribe the best medication for their patient. We are all different... Psychological counseling is usually better long term. But it takes time and competence on the part of the counselor - And not all counselors/patients work together. The patient also has to actually put what they learn in counseling into their lives. And there may be some people who just need the antidepressants long term. In my case I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an antidepressant and a psychologist who counseled me. I ultimately stayed on the antidepressant longer than I ideally should have, because I feared the return of the depression even though my life was much better as a result of taking the counseling to heart and ending a problematic relationship. But I have been off the antidepressants a long time now... OP, I remember the dark days and nights well - Nothing hurts as bad as depression! I wish you well and hope you find the combination that works for you.

There are other classes of anti-depressants that don’t touch serotonin. Talk to your doctor :)