What Kind of Doctor Do I See for Depression Medicine?

If you are depressed, you may want to take depression medication, seek counseling or both. To attain medication, however, you will need to see a doctor who can prescribe the appropriate drug and dose.

Who Prescribes Antidepressants?

• Professionals who can prescribe depression medicine are: psychiatrists, family physicians or any medical doctor; nurse-practitioners; and physician's assistants under the supervision of a doctor.

Counselors and Prescribers

• Some psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse-practitioners can prescribe medicine for you and see you for weekly counseling. This is ideal because the prescriber will be totally familiar with your progress and side effects, and can tweak the medicine for best results.

Collaboration Among Your Doctors

• Some psychiatrists and nurse-practitioners will follow up monthly to check your progress but do not provide weekly counseling. However, they may be very willing to refer you to, and collaborate with, a counselor.

Counselors Cannot Prescribe

• Professionals who specialize in counseling for depression, but are unable to prescribe medication are psychologists, social workers and mental health counselors.

Family Doctors

• Family doctors may be less likely to follow-up regularly or collaborate with your counselor. This is a disadvantage. But they are accessible to most people and write most of the prescriptions for depression medication in the U.S.