Posted by jay on October 4, 2001, at 5:50:08
In reply to Re: Social Support/Therapy while on meds, posted by sar on October 3, 2001, at 22:24:16
> dear Jay,
>
> i generally avoid regular psycho-babble (the med-board) unless i have a question or research to do; i find it too traffick-y and overwhelming.
>
> i'm a big fan of Kay Redfield Jamison and have been meaning to buy noonday demon for wuite awhile (i've browsed it at the store, and it seems pretty damn good).
>
> there's a lot of excellent discussion whether you narrow it down or not. i found CBT a bit moderately helpful, but nothing has changed me like the magic stew of prozac, klonopin, and neurontin. i was anti-meds for years, and now i feel like big psych crusader for all sorts of legal psych drugs!
>
> PSB tends to be a supportive and understanding place. i was fortunate enough to happen upon DR. Bob's site when i was prescribed Effexor; i reached it through a search engine and it has been an invaluable source since february.
>
> post here on PSB if you like... it's a smaller group, and, in my opinion, more supportive and open. i'm not a computer person at all, this is the only message board i post on, but i've been addicted for months...
>
> best,
> sarThanks sar:
I guess I am just really bothered by the "either/or" stance taken by some (many, actually) in psychology/psychiatry. Pscho and Med therapy to me are counterparts, both tools that are *needed* in mental health, and depression and bipolar depression. I *don't* understand by why some thing it has to be one or the other! But, 'tis life. Just to note, I do take medication, and have for 10 years, but the psycho-theraputic aspect of my healing has played an equally massive part in sustaining remision...even if I do fall through the cracks once in awhile, the social support prevents me from hitting the ground too hard.
I would highly reccomend Noonday Demon, as it is full of everything: realism; life changing experiences; sadness; hope...all the things that I think are what "come undone" in depression. In other words, we have a hard time dealing with all of those emotions and experiences together, and/or at the same time. Honestly, this is an *Atlas*, a NEEDED book for anyone going through depression or bipolar depression.
One major point from this book illuminates my concerns:
Kay Jamison mentions in Noonday Demon (as a footnote) that just seeing the brain as being purely chemical, and emotions guided by "fixing" chemical levels is much like the ancient beliefs of having "black bile" in the blood, and of "vapours" causing mental illness. It really is just far too simplistic, and just as silly, except we have put a fewmodern words in it's place. It's a part of the answer,but is given too much credit.
Anyhow....thanks for the supportive comments, and I hope I can help add to the support on psycho-social.
Jay :-)
poster:jay
thread:12078
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010927/msgs/12091.html