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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 9:04:23
And what is your life circumstances? In the past couple of years I have a really hard time sorting this out. For instance, I am very isolated, but am I isolated because I am depressed, or because I changed and got rid of some friendships that were making too many demands on me in the first place? would I be able to enjoy these people if it weren't for my depression? Or is the isolation making me depressed?
Similarly with my job--I hate many aspects of it. But is that because I have been depressed long term? Or is it the cause of a lot of it?
I guess I never know what is biological and what needs to be changed about me and my circumstances. I see both a pdoc and a therapist and I have a hard time sorting out which things are whose, and since part of my depression is pressuring myself to change constantly, well, things get tricky. I went through a long stage of working on myself hard in therapy, refusing all meds, then that didn't work, and now I am constantly on a cocktail that really isn't working, and I am confused.
How does everyone else sort this out?
Posted by Phillipa on November 10, 2011, at 11:55:20
In reply to How do you determine what is your illness?, posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 9:04:23
Honestly I haven't. I have no idea what the answer is? Phillipa
Posted by Phidippus on November 10, 2011, at 14:46:07
In reply to How do you determine what is your illness?, posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 9:04:23
Why don't you just make it easy on yourself and declare yourself depressed? It doesn't matter if the isolation is making you depressed or if you're depressed because your isolated, you're still depressed. Same with the job: whether it has made you depressed or you're depressed in the first place, you're still depressed.
The wheels on the bus go round and round...
I sorted my own situation out symptom by symptom. No mean feat, as I have ADHD/OCD/BP NOS. Once symptoms were sorted out, we developed a medicine regimen for a lot of them, and those left over were assigned therapy. You're lucky, you just have to focus on the symptoms of your depression.
What are you on now?
Eric
Posted by bleauberry on November 10, 2011, at 19:13:26
In reply to How do you determine what is your illness?, posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 9:04:23
Just my opinion but just going on what you wrote my first instinct is it's all about 75% biological 25% life circumstances. And it means if therapist can't help you sort it out then it has to be considered to see a new one. Don't know your meds so can't comment there, except that it's time to try some different kinds of meds. And/or begin experimentation with a few select herbal medicinies.
Posted by Emme-V2 on November 10, 2011, at 19:43:53
In reply to How do you determine what is your illness?, posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 9:04:23
> And what is your life circumstances? In the past couple of years I have a really hard time sorting this out. For instance, I am very isolated, but am I isolated because I am depressed, or because I changed and got rid of some friendships that were making too many demands on me in the first place? would I be able to enjoy these people if it weren't for my depression? Or is the isolation making me depressed?
>
> Similarly with my job--I hate many aspects of it. But is that because I have been depressed long term? Or is it the cause of a lot of it?
>
> I guess I never know what is biological and what needs to be changed about me and my circumstances. I see both a pdoc and a therapist and I have a hard time sorting out which things are whose, and since part of my depression is pressuring myself to change constantly, well, things get tricky. I went through a long stage of working on myself hard in therapy, refusing all meds, then that didn't work, and now I am constantly on a cocktail that really isn't working, and I am confused.
>
> How does everyone else sort this out?YMMV, but my personal experience has been that the sort of confusion you're describing is actually a symptom of depression. I wasn't confused about the exact things you're describing, but I did have a lot of uncertainty about many issues, and I didn't know which way was up and which was was down. I kept talking to my therapists about the confusion in my life, my goals, my career aspirations, and other things that I just couldn't sort out.
Once the correct meds improved the depression, a lot of that really straightened out. A lot of confusion vanished. Therapy still had a place for me, but my thinking was much clearer.
My advice to you would be to really focus on treating the depression. Work with your psychiatrist to find effective meds and work with your therapist for support. Once you feel better, you'll have much better clarity about any changes you want to make in your life. If you decide you need a different job, you'll do a much better job of finding one if you are firing on all four burners.
Posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 21:35:43
In reply to Re: How do you determine what is your illness? » Raisinb, posted by Phidippus on November 10, 2011, at 14:46:07
I just got a BP 2 dx a couple of months ago, when I was hospitalized for being suicidal. They put me on all the regular things: lithium, Lamictal, seroquel. I got depressed again and so the pdoc took off seroquel and added Zoloft, but no dice. I have been having severe depressions for years. Several SSRIs worked for a while but I always got depressed again. Seems it doesn't matter what the meds are, or that there has to be some other thing I can fix.
Posted by sleepygirl2 on November 10, 2011, at 21:50:41
In reply to How do you determine what is your illness?, posted by Raisinb on November 10, 2011, at 9:04:23
I have SAR-NOS
That's:Somethin' ain't right, not otherwise specified ;-)
This is the end of the thread.
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