Posted by sid on January 4, 2002, at 22:24:26
In reply to Psycotherapy vs Meds, posted by Mags on January 4, 2002, at 20:39:49
When I had major depression I tried group therapy , but it did not help me. We were all very different people, and I too felt like I had too little in common with the others in the group to benefit from it. I toughed it out 4 months and then left the group. I talked, replied, participated actively, but I felt like I was helping more than I was being helped while I did need help.
My experience: I did behavioral and cognitive therapy on a one-on-one basis with different psychotherapists, and I read about these types of therapy. That did help me a lot. Is your cognitive therapy like that? Have you tried it? In fact, I got rid of major depression with psychotherapy and acupunture alone. Now I am on meds for dysthymia (chronic depression, which I've had for about 20 years, although I did not realize it until I had major depression and started reading on the subject). At this point I feel I've done all I could in psychotherapy, for now anyway, and I decided to try meds for the dysthymia. Seems to be working, but I started a month ago only, so we'll see. If I had to redo it, I'd go for meds earlier, but I was too scared of them and felt I had to get out of depression "on my own." Now I realize it was the depression talking... although I am still scared of these meds, which is why I participate to Psycho-Babble. I'd still do the psuchotherapy though because I am convinced it helped me at the time and it is still helping me to avoid relapses.
Anyway... all this to say that yes, I felt the same in group therapy, but had success with individual therapy. I am not the group therapy type I guess. Or perhaps it the group did not suit me.
> I am in group therapy plus I take cognitive thinking. I am told this will help in combination with my meds. I am finding that most of the group have had or still have horrible life experiences that they have not been able to overcome and have become depressed.I don't have bad situations in my life and yet I am majorly depressed right now. Thought I had found my magic pill but not so....I am feeling very uncomfortable in these groups because I can listen and offer some support but feel different from them. Has anyone else felt this way. I sometimes find myself making up a cognitive report because I haven't had any irrational thoughts and If I have I know it is the depresion talking.
> Any comments on this?
> Thanks, Mags
poster:sid
thread:88781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020103/msgs/88784.html