Posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 19, 2007, at 2:40:28
In reply to Re: Bipolar depression, posted by Jimmyboy on January 18, 2007, at 23:30:00
Obviously, things are very complicated and everyone is unique. Everyone's mental illness is unique. Obviously, you can't say all treatment resistant depression is due to X, Y or Z; generalizations are dangerous. I just wanted to provoke thinking about it. If you've tried lots of drugs, combinations, etc doesn't there come a time when you question this tactic and think that that something totally different is needed? I mean, isn't that the next logical step?
I really think that in psychiatry in general the biochemical imbalance/disorder card is played way too often. I really do think that, and actually my pdoc agrees with me. For me anyway (I'm not talking about others) psych drugs have been a complete and utter waste of time - I really wish I'd never have touched them. I'm doing much better now that I ever had on them and I'm addressing my issues and I'm in graduate school. And if you would have seen me a couple of years ago, you would have seen me posting here about my latest drug trial, and so on and so forth. I was desperate to find a chemical solution to my problems.
It had never occurred to me that the drugs don't work because my problems are entirely in my mind. And when you realise that, its very powerful.
Plus I do tend to think that its very convenient to ignore the psychological aspects of mental illness. Its convenient for the time hassled pdocs and GPs - they simply hand out medication in a 10min slot, rather than have hourly therapy sessions - they can get more money this way. Its very convenient for the drug companies making billions from us. Its very convenient for the patient who can blame his/her problems on biochemical inequalities, and not have to address their low self esteem etc, and thus not realizing that its their own doing. It can be a very hard pill to swallow (excuse the pun!) to realize that your illnesses are entirely constructed by your mind.
Anyway, I don't want to start one of 'those' threads - I'm not saying don't take drugs or anything like that, but I just wanted to say my points. I just think that the power of the mind (as opposed to the brain) is often under-represented. I'm not saying that therapy is the answer either or that their aren't physical manifestations of these disorders. I just wanted to get people thinking about their illness and wondering if they are like me. I doubt I can be the only one out there.
poster:Meri-Tuuli
thread:723718
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070113/msgs/723933.html