Posted by Deneb on October 23, 2009, at 19:18:04
In reply to Re: I hope I am just being a hypochondriac, posted by Deneb on October 23, 2009, at 6:12:55
I sent my question to 4 different "Experts". Let me know which one you think is right. Here are 3 of them:
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What a life to have had at such a young age.
As an authority only in a field rather remote from mental health, and as someone who has not met, interviewed/tested, or treated you, I am hardly in a position to second-guess those who have. So let me talk in general terms rather than about you as an individual.
It seems that in some people, some neurochemicals (which we are only starting to understand) are abnormal, and the purpose of various psychoactive medications is merely to regulate these brain microchemicals. The choice, dosage, and duration in using these drugs is somewhat trial-and-error, so the best results are associated with people who are younger, self-aware, and articulate. That's why these people should continue seeing a trusted, competent, and cooperative psychiatrist, especially to focus on the drug response.
But there is a second string to add to the bow. Progress is generally better through the additional help of the right kind of clinical psychologist. Where the client is intelligently verbal, motivated, and introspective, the best would be one trained in cognitive behaviour therapy. Here the emphasis would be on understanding and coping with maladaptive thoughts and actions.
Whether the services of a psychologist would be covered by the Canada Health Plan might depend on the province, whether it was prescribed by an MD, and whether the clinician works within a hospital or similar facility, but in any case, the psychologist should certainly integrate with the psychiatrist.
Finally, it is often the case that there is no real change in the person, right from childhood. The symptoms tend to present differently across life stages, and may be given different names, but it's only the same disorder.
Even though I'm not a practicing clinician, I'm glad you asked, in hopes that those generalities will be of some interest to you. I would say that compared with those of your peers who have the same biological handicap, you have excelled, and you show considerable promise in being able to overcome it.
Wishing the best to you,
Alan
---------------------------------------Thanks so much for writing and asking your question. It sounds like you have had a really rough go at it for many years now. I am happy to hear that you feel you are making progress with your therapist and that you do not feel suicidal and don't want to over dose. I also have to say that your writing is very good and clear. That, I'm sure, can really be an asset for you in school.
In regard to your question:
When diagnosis a problem, sometimes it is best to look the most obvious explanations to explain what's going on. Though I'm not in a position to make a formal diagnosis, without having talked to you, there are some indications from what you wrote that we can take a look at.It seems like the original symptoms that you have dealt with in your life has been anxiety. As stated, you suffered from panic attacks and social anxiety beginning when you were young. So, when thinking about your question, I'll need to keep that in mind. Your primary issue is anxiety. You also state that you have suffered from depression. Depression and anxiety almost always come together to some degree and it really makes sense in your situation; you were anxious as a kid, had panic attacks and experienced social anxiety. It was probably hard to make friends or go places out of fear of having more panic attacks. These symptoms would make anyone depressed. I'm sure you felt isolated, scarred and lonely. . . anyone would. Depression can be a very nasty cycle because when someone is depressed, they usually do depressing type things that only make them more depressed. For instance: someone might become depressed because they feel a lack of connection with others. . . they might feel they have no friends or that no one understands them. So what do they do. . . they isolate. In isolating themselves, they feel even more alone, disconnected and misunderstood. Depression begets more depression. To me, it really makes sense why you would have felt depressed.
So how does this relate to your question?
You had mentioned that you have looked at some of the symptoms of schizophrenia and have related them to yourself. "The lack of motivation, lack of social life. . . the decline academically, the decline in functioning and lack of caring about appearances. . . " These are all symptoms of schizophrenia. . . but they are also all symptoms of depression. Depression is what you have, so that is the most likely explanation. Sure, what you described can be symptoms of schizophrenia, but they are not the main symptoms of schizophrenia, so you cannot use these alone to diagnose yourself. So how about the voices? I think you were correct in your conclusion, that they were an illusion, not a hallucination. But what is a mind prone to anxiety going to do. . . worry that the "voices" they heard are indications of schizophrenia! Everybody hears voices from time to time. Just last week I was out camping in the woods by myself. What do you think I heard when I was alone in the woods at night? Voices! I was convinced I heard people talking, or yelling in the distance. Think of that situation though. I was alone so I was a little afraid. . . so I had heightened anxiety, so any noise that I heard my brain interpreted that it was a voice. . . and that someone was going to jump out of the trees and get me! But in reality it was all just anxiety. Similarly to the most likely explanation of your situation. Your anxiety is already heightened, you've read some about schizophrenia, so you are prone to second guess normal occurrences and interpret them as abnormal. There is no need to worry about thinking you may have heard a voice. You should worry if you constantly hear clear, prolonged, audible people talking to you incessantly, when there is no person there. The key is that they would be clearly audible. . . not something you thought you heard or are pretty sure you heard. They would be unmistakably there. . . loud, audible and present for long periods of time. Also, if you did have schizophrenia, you wouldn't likely be worried about having schizophrenia. The fact that you are worried about it is a strong indication of not having it.So what can you do?
I think it's positive that you are making progress with your therapist. It's going to be really important for you to make continual progress and to really focus on the diagnosis of anxiety and depression. In my opinion, cognitive behavioral therapy is the best kind of therapy for anxiety and depression. The best resource I have ever found has been a book call "When Panic Attacks" by David Burns. In this book, he explains that there is real and tangible hope for people with any kind of anxiety. He also explains hundreds of methods for getting rid of anxiety that actually work. For someone to find relief, they must be willing to really work and put concentrated and deliberate effort into the healing process. So the best advice I could give to you is, follow the instructions of your therapist. Ask him/her for exercises to do at home. Get a good book on cognitive therapy (like the one I mentioned) and study it inside and out. Do the exercises it explains and don't give up. Also, of course, seek immediate help if you feel like hurting yourself again.I hope this helps,
I hope my explanation was at least almost as clear as your question! (You should really capitalize on your skill)
Let me know if I can answer anything else or clarify something for you.
Good luck, Rich
-------------------------------------Sounds like you have been suffering severely with forms of mood disorders. Also, check with your doctor about being bi-polar too. For people who suffer with bi-polar disorders - lithium is good. Ask your doctor about that. You may need a new medication - ask her also what she thinks about Effexor.
It sounds like you need the right mix of meds to get you stable. To help educate yourself:
Dr. Ivan Goldberg is a New York Psychiatrist who has developed an excellent website. Take a look at his site and scroll down to the depression inventory, and also a self-inventory for anxiety, because the person suffering from depression can also be suffering from anxiety. His web site is:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html
Take the self-inventory(s) and make a copy for the clinical counselor/therapist you will be seeing.It is hard to function in life when your brain chemistry has gone awry. Dr. Goldberg's website also talks about people whose brain chemistry is resistant to medications - you may want to read that section.
Your education is important, so keep working at it when you can and see if you can take online courses to in order to gain college credit.
I hope these ideas help you out. If you like your doctor/therapist stick with him/her; but if you feel you want to change, then look for another psychiatrist that specializes in mood disorders.
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poster:Deneb
thread:922076
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20090930/msgs/922156.html