It is not at all the same, it is completely different to it.
Get a proper Doctor, is he a psychiatrist or a general medical Doctor, because he doesn't know what he is talking about ?
You do not have to feel like this, you have the right to feel better.
I asked my doctor about Effexor and he said it's the same as Wellbutrin and wouldn't prescribe it. Weird...he then prescribed Lexapro but it made me very sleepy so I stopped taking it.
I'm sorry to hear that you are not enjoying things as you used to. This is very tragic for someone of your young age. It sounds like classic depression. Many years ago, I was taking Wellbutrin for depression and it also did not help much, but it did help with some obsessive/compulsive tendencies. Wellbutrin is also marketed as "Zyban" to help quit smoking. But Effexor was the one that made a dramatic difference years ago. I now take Remeron, however (Mirtazapine). Because we had the same experience with Wellbutrin, this makes me think that Effexor might also help with your depression. But the doctor can help you find the best one. Wellbutrin is a unique anti-depressant (I'm not sure how it is different, but it is), so it's only logical that if this one is not giving good results, medications in the same class as Effexor would be the next step. But only the doctor can make that determination based on your situation.
5 months does seem like a long time to endure depression. 5 minutes is a long time to endure depression. But in reality, 5 months is barely enough time to find the right medication. You should have tried several by now.
Oh, Effexor is sometimes given for anxiety if I'm not mistaken and also for pain. I'm surprised they haven't tried it yet, unless there is a reason.
Best of luck to you--