Posted by fachad on March 31, 2003, at 12:17:05
In reply to Triggers for Treatment Resistant Depression?, posted by bretbe on March 31, 2003, at 0:16:34
Belief Based Depression is not Treatment Resistant. It merely requires the appropriate treatment modality, which is rationality and free thought.
My guess is that even though you suspect that the event at age 19 triggered your misery, that event was merely a precipitating event that could have been anything, and that your distress really did develop "gradually over time".
That event would have had no meaning were it not for the years and years of negative conditioning during the prior 19 years of life. I'd guess that many different life events could have set you off.
I too was brought up in a very religious family, and was indoctrinated in a repressive, unrealistic, moralistic, dogmatic religious world view that caused me much emotional misery both during childhood and adolescence. Finally in early adulthood I seriously questioned the religious dogmas of my childhood, and developed a more rational outlook.
In my other post to you (below), I describe how I distinguish between "somatic" depression and "affective" depression. I also believe that there is "spiritual" depression which is distinct from those other types.
Spiritual depression can come about as a result of guilt or shame from not living up to unrealistic expectations, as you have described. It can also arise if you have thrown off the chains of religious dogma and are feeling all alone in a senseless universe.
Here are a few references you may find helpful in understanding the conditions that set you up for that traumatic event and can serve as intellectual ammunition for your recovery:
"Living in the Light: Freeing Your Child from the Dark Ages"
"Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist"
"The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You to Read"
Amazon has descriptions and reviews of these books, as well as other Free Thought reading lists. Hope this was helpful.
I suspect that Dr. Bob will re-direct any further posts in this thread. Does it go to Social, Faith or Psychological Babble?
> Wondering about other's triggers for onset of mental illnesses specifically treatment resistant depression, bipolar II (NOS) and other subjectively miserable states.
>
> I had specific event in life at age 19 that triggered onset of what would become severe treatment resistant depression. My trigger was extreme guilt/anxiety about minor sexual event (masturbation) having grown up in very religious environment. Psychiatrists would label guilt as "over-valued" but in my reality at the time it was realistic as there were high expectations for my personal behavior...a lot of personal, familial, and social pressure to be religiously "pure" at time. Guilt/anxiety so emotionally/mentally traumatizing I would characterize continued response throughout years as post-traumatic stress of sorts.
>
> Again, wondering if others can remember very specific trigger for suddent onset as opposed to gradual over time.
poster:fachad
thread:214622
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030329/msgs/214724.html