Posted by cybercafe on July 11, 2002, at 17:34:16
In reply to Re: Real Depression, posted by Geezer on July 11, 2002, at 10:56:27
> I get very angry when someone intellectualize this illness. As soon as I hear "working on issues, relationships, recognizing triggers, blah, blah, blah" my blood pressure kicks up a notch. Psychology has nothing to do with real heavy duty depression (be it recurrent major depression or the bipolar version). As an illness it is much closer to a "slow rolling seizure disorder" where the intervals and severity of episodes may be to some degree controlled with medication. I have given up on any hopes of the lay public understanding this but I do resent the current theory, by the pdocs and tdocs, that the best treatment for real depression is the combination of drugs and cognative therapy.
Yeah I agree with you totally except I would add that having someone to talk to can really help -- at least in more reactive/vegetative/atypical depressions (perhaps not retarded/melancholic/typical depressions)....
... I consider myself really smart + educated + wise and insightful... and used to think psychology probably isn't necessary for myself...... however... i was wrong ;)
... i think anything that breaks social isolation... especially if it is directed towards positive thinking can help in many cases...
.. but yes i totally agree there is NO WAY psychotherapy alone would allow for a 100% recovery.... i mean i would suspect many people would have difficulty getting to a psychotherapist without a decent med ....
... same for anxiety + agitation in my case ...
.. it helps... but 100% recovery? ... i can "face my fears" time and time again and they are still not reduced...... in fact i remember reading that clozapine is thought to decrease suicidality in psychotics by the break in social isolation you get from having weekly blood checks .... as well as relieve of negative symptoms, of course...
>
> If a doctor had chosen to give me the HONEST FACTS about this illness when I was very young his message would heve been brief and to the point. "From this day forward there will be times when your life will be a living hell. You will be faced with a 15% chance of killing yourself and all the talking in the world won't change a thing. Take your meds and do the best you can".a pleasure speaking with you gents ;)
cybercafe
poster:cybercafe
thread:91928
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020709/msgs/112076.html