Posted by OldSchool on January 24, 2002, at 14:35:19
In reply to Re: David Burns » OldSchool, posted by Elizabeth on January 24, 2002, at 13:24:48
> > I have his book Feeling Good. I dont agree with much of the stuff in it.
>
> I agree, and I'm surprised to hear that you have the book. Any particular reason you got it?Because I read some stuff saying that CBT can be useful for refractory depression. I was skeptical and still am. However I wanted to read the book, which I havent done yet. I have read parts of the meds section in it though. Plus Ive had such a hard time tolerating meds in the last year that I figured I better start doing some things in case someday all I can tolerate is ECT. Although I think the experience with Amantadine recently has explained a lot...it totally "loosened me up" and I found I could add drugs while on Amantadine easily.
> > He criticizes the idea of depression having a chemical imbalance root cause, but then goes onto giving rave reviews of MAOIs. MAOIs are the most potent antidepressants available.
>
> Well, if they are the best ADs, maybe it just means he thinks the other ADs are weak and don't do much. (BTW, I'm guessing that you mean the *strongest* or most *effective*. Potency just means the effective dose is low -- so Parnate is more potent than Nardil, and Paxil is more potent than Zoloft, but MAOIs and other ADs can't really be compared in potency since they do different things.)I think the guy is just full of it to a large extent, although I still liked some of what he writes especially about meds. He believes in being cautious with meds and I agree with that.
>
> > What gives with that? What a hypocrite. Its obvious Burns is another idiot who has this mindblock many psychology buffs have to the basic fact that all of your thoughts, moods, feelings, perceptions, etc. are brain based. Everything starts in your brain.
>
> A lot of people seem to have a hard time grasping this idea. Anyway, that must be why I thought Burns was a psychologist, because he's such a CBT cultist.
>
> Out of curiosity, have you tried CBT or other talk therapy, and if so what did you think of it? (My experience with CBT was much like Cecilia's.)Nope Ive never been in any therapy. The closest to therapy Ive ever been in was my offline support group...it was kind of like a real informal, loose group therapy session. Very informal which I like.
>
> > He also admits bipolar disorder is heavily biological and genetic, but denies depression is biological. LOL
>
> So he buys the idea of a biological basis for some mental disorders, but denies that depression is one of them, huh? Personally I've never heard of *anyone* with serious depression who was cured by CBT.
>Yep...thats exactly what he does. He says bipolar is clearly biological and genetic but rejects these ideas for regular depression. He says many people with bipolar will need to be on lifetime medication, but those with depression "rarely require lifetime drugs." In other words, the guy is an idiot.
> Yes, the brain gets sensory input from external experiences, and in the long term these experiences affect what we call "personality," but whether or not a major depressive episode will occur is largely predetermined, probably at least in part by genetics. (There may be other factors, such as autoimmune conditions.) So I don't think that people with depression that has recurred for more than a couple times are likely to benefit from personality or behavior modification (the supposed effect of CBT).
Me either. This stuff is largely pure neurology in my opinion. Its your brain and CNS. Sometimes the endocrine system has something to do with it or as you mentioned the autoimmune system.
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:75408
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020124/msgs/91431.html