cal1's comments

Depression: The myth of "Chemical Imbalance" - Blog Entry

14 Jan 2008 07:40 PM

tiberiu: Medication can be a useful tool for people suffering from depression, I think if people need it, they shouldn't be afraid of it. But it is merely one of many options, and some may argue an option too quickly used in many cases. You are of course entitled to your opinion on the matter, but I can say no currently used anti-depressants are addictive in the traditional sense. Some (most notably paxil and effexor) do have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and need to be tapered off to minimize discomfort, but this is more of a tolerance effect than an addiction such as is seen with drugs of abuse.

Recovering from a Breakdown (1) - Blog Entry

07 Jan 2008 07:42 PM

Ms. McHugh - you are probably right that my attitudes are hurting me. After all my attitude is something along the lines of; "I hate myself, and the world, and I want to die". Clearly that is not a recipe for happiness. There is a kind of logic to my thought process, although I'd have to go into a lot more detail to explain it. Suffice to say, depression is often a result of distorted thinking. But sometimes really bad things do happen, and there's no amount of CBT that will make them go away. Sometime when I feel up to it, I'll check out your pay-site and who knows, maybe you can help me. I'm sorry If I seemed like I was putting down your advice here. I think it makes great sense for people in a certain situation. I just feel that It's not very useful for me. Sorry.

How to Help a Suicidal Person (1) - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 10:53 PM

Ms. McHugh: Thanks for the reply. I know at times when I've been feeling suicidal I've thought about calling the suicide help lines, but decided not to, partly out of shyness, but also because, c'mon, what are they going to do? Solve my problems? No. I don't want to seem to negative on this topic, because I feel it's immensely worthwhile, something like 30,000 people in the US took their own lives last year. It's a noble cause, and I commend the people who support it. I just have trouble in seeing how it would help me.

Recovering from a Breakdown (1) - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 10:39 PM

I've read this concept, and heart about it from my therapist, but the problem is, as great as it is that you got up and did a little something, the world doesn't pause and wait for you to catch up. It's great that you made your bed, but other people also make their bed, then breakfast, rush to the office, put in a full day, pick up drycleaning, then clean other stuff in the house afterwards. And the next day they tackle a new list. Meanwhile, you've got the bed made on day one, and maybe tomorrow you'll do some dishes. But each day you fall farther and farther behind. So should I feel good about the two things I did today? What about the 18 things I didn't get to? Or the fact that tomorrow there will be 20 new tasks, and I've still only done 5% of day 1's list. By the end of the week, I'm hopelessly behind. I understand that it's great to take baby steps, but unless you're a baby, the world is going to run you down. This is the situation I'm in, I can to the little pieces, but I'm getting totally overwhelmed with this world that's passing me by at 90MPH, while i'm in the breakdown lane doing 20. I'ts hard to feel pride in that.

How to Help a Suicidal Person (1) - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 10:12 PM

The advice is very good for the person in crisis or thinking about a suicidal act impulsively. For most suicidal persons, thats the scenario, and most of these persons, once rescued, do not later successfully complete suicide. (so they've truly been 'rescued' not just delayed). But there are other reasons people complete suicide, and for them, these tactics are less effective. I am suicidal because life sucks and has for a long time, and I suffer from Depression and other mental illness. I've been in treatment since age 12. Thats a lot of shrinks. I've been on meds for over a decade. I can't cope with life. So some of the comments like, do not leave the person alone. How long are you planning to stay with me? A year? More? I don't think my feelings are going to be that different in a day or two. They talk about committing someone to a hospital. The hospitals that I have been in are like holding cells. They do nothing to address the issues that sent you there. They give you some meds, check on you every fifteen minutes, and they release you after a few days. So, am I better somehow? Or traumatized from that experience, and returning to a life and problems that are worse than I left them. Now I have to explain to work why I suddenly disappeared for five days. What do I say, "oh, I was involuntarily committed to a mental hospital", but I'm just fine now! Can I have a promotion? Face it.... for some people suicidal ideation isn't a temporary delusion or impulse, its the end of a long road of suffering that a few well-meaning by short-term gestures aren't going to fix

When Antidepressants aren't the best option (3) - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 09:50 PM

I've been on multiple medications for a long time - like 10 years or more. After reading some of the anti-pharma rants and conspiracy theories, and because of the fact that I literally cannot remember what I feel like without meds, I'm considering going med-free. I realize I need to taper down and do one at a time to minimize withdrawal reactions, but I'm a bit nervious about it. I think my Psych is smarter than me, and she as told me that as a patient, it's my call, and she'll try to support me if I decide to go off meds, but she said she strongly feels it would not be in my best interest because I am severely depressed and unstable, and she fears that if I go cold turkey I'll end up in the hospital or worse. So I'm not sure what to do really.

When Antidepressants aren't the best option (3) - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 09:44 PM

Antidepressants are one tool in the arsenal used to find depression. But that's it, nothing more, nothing less. They're only one of many options are they're not always even the best option, (and often one of the more expensive options at that). In rough order of effectiveness (% of patients responding * % of improvement), the following modalities come out something like this: 1: ECT - far and away the most effective. The best choice for pregnant women. Obvious risks and side effects make this a last choice, however. 2: Exercise and getting outdoors (may be difficult with severe depression) 3: Combination of SSRI or next-generation meds and talk therapy (usualy CBT, DBT, or interpersonal) Some research suggests MAOI drugs are more effective but are rarely used due to significant dietary restrictions 3: (tie) either meds or talk therapy alone are about equally effective depending on quality of therapist. 4: Other things can be very effective for some, but are more hit-and-miss: Dietary changes, adding Omega-3 supplements, making life changes (ie jobs, moving, starting or ending a relationship)

Generally the more catatonic and withdrawn the person is, the more important the meds are to help boost the patients functionality to where they can implement some of the other things.

New Year's Mental Health Resolutions - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 09:26 PM

my new years resolution is to either recover from my mental illness this year (or get it under control with meds and other things) or die. Hopefully one way or another my suffering will be over.

Depression: The myth of "Chemical Imbalance" - Blog Entry

06 Jan 2008 09:20 PM

Ms. McHugh: thanks for the very interesting comments. I personally am struggling terribly with the issue of personal responsibility for myself and my own recovery, partly because I have been struggling so long, in so many different ways, and see very few results. Intellectually I agree with most of what the psychological field says, but the hard part is doing it. Often it seems like monumental tasks just to do basic things, which I never do very well or completely despite my effort, and the payoff for it is usually minimal. I've done all kinds of therapy, many different meds, hospitals, church, etc, but I remain at the end of my rope. I do find it quite interesting to discuss mental health issues as I have backgrounds both in biological sciences, and in being crazy, so I can bring a rather unique perspective. I dare say that I understand much of what the professionals discuss in these type of boards in an often very sophisticated way, but when it comes to my own malaise, I can often only share why it hasn't worked for me. I may intellectually agree that a certain treatment or thought concept holds great promise, but I just *can't* *get* *there* when it comes to me. The demon thoughts just push out the good ones. So I've been thinking of next steps, endgames. Where to go from here. I sheepishly concede that I'm kind of giving up on myself. I've tried drinking, which of course as a CNS depressant is absolutely contraindicated in persons such as myself, but boy it's good at numbing the pain. Perhaps life as an alcoholic despite it's numerous drawbacks might be a good choice for me. Beyond the slow-motion suicide that is alcholism, a more immediate resolution to my quandry might be idicated. I've researched some potential modalities, none are pleasant as you can imagine, but some seem at least reliably effective. Then there's all the baggage, the effects on the non-target family and friends, etc. that needs to be considered. Even a seemingly simple thing becomes complicated when you really get into it. So for the short term anyway, I stick around. I don't want to live, but I'm here for a little while longer, I think, and I go to my therapy, not expecting to get better (what can they POSSIBLY do to help me??), and trying to be glib enough in my answers to avoid an involuntary hospitalization, and I guess that's it. I don't see any hope for me any longer, but in the meantime, I'm glad there's some boards like this that I can contribute to while I'm wailting for the ritalin from this afternoon to be counteracted by the klonopin I just took now so I can sleep.

Suicide: My Thoughts on One Case - Blog Entry

27 Dec 2007 04:44 PM

I should just add a caveat to my statement; what really is or is not "selfish" is ultimately pretty much in the judgment of the beholder. The decedent isn't here to defend their thought process. Furthermore, the dictionary defines it as "concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself". Who's to say what's "excessive" in a case of someone who is so desparate as to be suicidal? Also the thoughts of a suicidal person are usually distorted in many ways. Some undoubtedly feel they are taking their life to relieve others of the "burden" they pose. My previous comment was limited to my own viewpoint.