Posted by banga on December 26, 2004, at 12:37:58
In reply to Re: Involuntary/voluntary 'treatment'.... » banga, posted by ed_uk on December 26, 2004, at 12:15:26
Yes I am in the US, was born and raised here. But I have dual citizenship with one of the Baltic States and have been there for many extended visits; spent 3 years over there 200-2002 and had a very wonderful 'nervous breakdown' while there, to use DSMIV terminology!!
I had been treated for my depression in the US for many years prior to that. When I went over, I was on a very low dose of Prozac. I wanted to get pregnant without meds, so I had stopped. Big mistake. Big fallout with closest family and support and resultant isolation, unsuccess in career, plus alcohol as a pitiful attempt to get through it spelled disaster. Two and one half years in alcohol treatments, "resting" in semi-outpatient mental health treatments, then the inpatient hospital stay. My relatives were terrified to put me on a plane back to the US, thought I wouln't make it alone--get lost, get drunk or something, I was so out of it. But I insisted and would not hear of my husband wasting money flying out to get me. No I was not logical at all. By a miracle I made it home.
Truly, I love the Baltics--my breakdown had nothing to do with the place-- and the inpatient stay believe it or not was not a negative memory, the experience itself that is (of course the mental idea of having needed inpatient treatment in general is disturbing). My alcohol treatment there, with much more modern amenities was far more traumatic because of incompetent "therapists". But I hear many alcohol treatment places in the US too still practice a "break 'em then build them up" approach. Only over there, they didn't do the "build 'em up" part. They believed my suicidal depression was just denial that I had an alcohol problem. One place where the US tendency to sue everyone in sight paid off positively: I think alcohol treatment places in the US now go out of their way to also screen and treat mental illness due to all the cases of people committing suicide after treatment. I actually met people who were practically forced onto antidepressants while in for alcohol treatment against their wishes.
But that's for a different board. The message is--the most important element in treating illnesses is compassionate, talented health care professionals.
poster:banga
thread:433249
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041223/msgs/434289.html