Posted by SLS on April 20, 2008, at 13:52:56
In reply to Re: OOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo, posted by bulldog2 on April 20, 2008, at 13:08:52
> feeling better off of meds is not the same as complete remission which is the goal of any treatment protocol. Many feel somewhat better for a while only to relapse later. There are probably millions of untreated people who drag themselves through each day feeling no joy or happiness. What does one do when all alternatives are exhausted? So you've tried diet and exercise, fish oil, sam-e, sjw, cbt etc and you still feel joyless. If you're lucky you may respond to one of the above.But some don't for one reason or another. So what are the options? A dreadful unhappy life and just accept that's the best you can do or try meds. Some on meds could not go to school or take part in a joyful life without them. I know meds don't work for everyone but let's not dismiss them as one of the options to explore.Also depressed people who are not in remission are more likely to self medicate with alcohol and or drugs.This is a complicated issue and can't be decided by individual stories.
Agreed.For so many of my 25 years of failed treatment, I would try to keep 1-3 alternatives in waiting beyond my treatment at the time. That helped me push on. In this way, I always had a legitimate reason to have hope. Sighted hope. There were many time when I figured that I would have to carry on until some unknown new treatment came around. I had blind hope at these times. Where else could I possibly derive the drive to persist? I don't know. I really can't guarantee anything to anyone based upon my successful treatment, except that I made it my business to live long enough to see this day. 25 years. Hey, I might relapse by the time I get done typing this sentence. I have no guarantees for myself.
Let us not forget though, that where non-bipolar depression of the type you you describe, there are often depressive thought styles and situational sadnesses to be dealt with. The thing that always frustrates me is that we use one word, "depression" to describe both biological and psychological phenomena. It is important to understand that where non-bipolar depression is concerned, there is a spectrum of contribution. Some are all biological. Some are all psychological. But most of these depressions probably persist because of the interaction of both.
I don't know what to say.
I think most people here know that I pray that we all get well; even the trolls. In my 25 years of treatment, I have learned that more people can get well than fail to get well with the treatments that are currently available. This will be more true with each new treatment that becomes available.
There is so much to be done. In the meantime, make it your business to stay as positive and constructive as possible. As impaired as I was, I made it my moment by moment goal to use all of what God gave me to work with.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:823248
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080420/msgs/824426.html