Hello Dr. Horwath:

I have been hiv poz since 1998 and got full blown aids in October 2005, and almost died. I am now stable and on meds, however, I am terribly depressed and sometimes wonder if I should have just let myself die. I am certainly not thinking of ending my life, but my doctor has not been able to contain the depression. I have acutally been depressed for the past 34 years and have been on every type of anti-depression drug available. Currently, I am on 20mg of Lexapro taken daily. Have seen a very slight help, but not enough to help me feel better. Further, there is only one support group for hiv people and it is 30 miles away, so I have no support and no friends, which makes my depression even deeper. I don't know what else I can do...no meds seem to work...do you have any ideas? Thank you for your time.

Depression is highly treatable, so you should not give up hope. There are a number of powerful antidepressant medications, and if you consult an experienced psychiatrist, you should be able to get the appropriate medication.

However, if you've been depressed for 34 years, then you may have a form of depression that has become entrenched in your daily life and habits. To resolve this, you will need to engage in some psychotherapy. Cognitive therapy and interpersonal have been shown to be effective for depression. So, if you can find someone who is trained in these techniques, you would do well to get into treatment with them. I hope you can find what you need. Best of luck.