I think your girlfriend probably recognizes something that she is concerned about more than you just being down in the dumps. The economy has done this to many people and you are not alone. Maybe you are depressed over your job and when things start to look up and you get another job you will begin to feel better. It may not be necessary for you to begin taking anti-depressants because you're depressed over losing your job, that's only natural that you would feel that way. There are a lot of other headaches that come from losing your job including not being able to pay your bills and constantly stressing over what your financial situation is going to be like next month. I would suggest seeing a therapist so you have someone to talk to. I think this professional will probably be able to tell you if you need to take the next step to a psychiatrist. Once you see a psychiatrist he/she is likely to prescribe you something that you may not need in the long run and it's not easy to stop taking anti-depressants once you pull out of this difficult time that you're experiencing.

anyone who is depressed for any reason over a long period of time should see someone.
sometimes loosing your job causes a ripple effect of something else.

Job markets have been very dull these days and I know I'm not all alone coz many are going thru such a rough time. But my girlfriend's suggestion put me on the buzz. wendyrs, your suggestion is quiet comforting and I'm not going to be negative on this..

I'm glad. Hang in there!