Posted by cubbybear on November 26, 2004, at 0:47:14
In reply to Re: Were You Depressed in the 80s?, posted by Rayray on November 25, 2004, at 21:21:13
> Good question! I was treated for depression on an outpatient basis at a world-renowned psych clinic. Meds were not offered for my agitated depression at all -- just talk therapy. That seemed to be the treatment fashion at that time -
I really want to thank everyone who responded to this post, and hope that more people will reply. The main reason for my starting the thread was to see if anyone else was stuck unknowingly in the same situation I was. . .being steered to a psychologist in 1970 for severe anxiety attacks but unable to obtain medication from him. I was then compelled to get Thorazine (horrors!) and then valium by way of a family doctor (GP). The 5 mg. Valium made some of the hours more bearable but never got to the core of my problem. And the "talk therapy" did nothing, of course, to rectify chemical imbalances. Throughout the 70s and beyond, I would suffer from recurrent anxiety and get to try several other (useless) medications such as Triavil and Mellaril. When my first full-blown depressive episode occurred in 1984, I finally got to see a (fabulous) psychiatrist, who got me onto MAOI Parnate (after a failed attempt to squelch the depression through Xanax alone). So, looking back, I endured about 15 years of hell from inappropriate counselling and inappropriate medication until somehow, I was introduced to the "right" person who helped save my life and help me understand what anxiety and depression were all about, and what I could do about it.
poster:cubbybear
thread:420022
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041123/msgs/420372.html