my parents just don't get it

by Andrea
(Maryland)

why don't my parents take my depression seriously?

i was diagnosed at age 11 with depression, anxiety, and ocd.
i have since been diagnosed with adhd and asperger's as well.
i have been on an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety med for about seven years, and on a non-stimulant adhd med for about five years. more recently i've started another adhd med. i also take fish oil, b-complex, and magnesium supplements.

i have been in therapy since i was 11 (mostly on a weekly basis) and i've had four therapists. 1 moved, 2 got promoted, 3 was rude, 4 treated me like i was 8 (i was 17 then), and i'm now seeing 2 at another office. she's the best of them all, but she sometimes says things that imply that i have no common sense. and we for some odd reason don't discuss my issues. we talk about my life. what's been going on, what is going on, and the future. it gets redundant fast and isn't always helpful.

i'm 18 now and i don't understand why my parents still don't take my depression seriously. they say i'm making excuses, being cranky, being overly sensitive, being lazy, and other things.

i have insomnia, my appetite changes constantly, i feel tired during the day, i hardly ever get a good quality of sleep, and i lack energy/motivation. i can't help it.

i feel like crap nearly all of the time. my family blames most everything on me. and i'm positive that my parents favor my brother over me.

any idea why my parents don't take my depression seriously?