Ask Julie: Periodic Depression Interferes with Life

Q: I get depressed sporadically and it interferes with my life and I want to fix it. I've always had emotional problems my whole life. Anxiety, depression, difficulty coping with life, codependency, low self-esteem; and I have been trying SO HARD to "just be happy" like everyone tells me to do, but I just can't do it. I TRY. And I don't want to take meds, and I don't know how much a therapist is but I don't have a lot of money.All this interferes with my enjoyment in life, I just cant seem to enjoy it and am constantly telling myself negative things and worrying about everything. I am also having relationship problems and I am just feeling so nuts all the time that I know I'm not in the right mind to try to fix that either.HELP What do I do?? I know this isn't a therapeutic thing, but I just need to know where to look for a therapist, or if there are any books or good self help things I can find on the internet (I've tried that though, I dunno maybe I have never found the right thing) please tell me.A: Reaching out in this forum is a good first step for getting help. It sounds like you've been trying very hard to feel different than you feel and it's not enough. It's a good time to seek professional help. There are no-cost or low-cost therapy options available in many communities. Watch my video response for additional resources and more detailed answer to your question...Take good care of yourself!Julie Hanks, LCSW