Posted by blueboy on June 12, 2008, at 9:41:55
In reply to Re: Any advice on meds? (long), posted by ryno on June 11, 2008, at 14:12:59
> A little update:
>
> I'm in day 3 at this partial hospitalization program. Honestly it feels like punishment for 90% of it. This program is all group sessions, and although i've taken a few things from it, I think it's all stuff I could have gotten from 1 session with a therapist one on one.
>
> I'm trying not to be defeatist about all this, but it's hard. I came to the realization that my depression is based on feeling worthless about not living up to my potential. It's hard to fix your life if the depression makes you physiologically incapable of motivation. The counselor says the solution to that is to do the things you need to do in spite of lack of motivation. In his words, "Just do it!". It kind of chesses me off to think that my insurance is spending thousands of dollars for me to see a pdoc for 10 minutes and get told a nike slogan.
>
> Anyway, enough of my whining, thanks for reading.
>Oh, dude, tell me about it! 100% of laymen and 99% of mental health "therapists" and even doctors don't understand. It took me years to teach my mother not to say stuff like "why don't you try getting some exercise". It's like Freudian psychologists used to say "you can't get better unless you want to get better". In essence, blaming the patient because they were not capable of treating him.
It's a very prevalent mindset in the US, that anyone can do (or be) whatever they make up their mind to do (or be), including mentally healthy. We love to blame people for their problems.
In one sense, it is utterly realistic. You are the one who is going to suffer for whatever shortcomings you have. Just like you reap the rewards for whatever assets you are given by birth, like rich parents or good health. But it is a terrible cop-out when stated by health professionals whom you are paying for treatment.
The medical literature is so nearly silent on my biggest problem. I can want to do something, have great attitude, etc. If I am in a down cycle, it doesn't matter. It's like I turn the key in my car and nothing happens. People understand that if your car won't start, you can't get somewhere. They just can't grasp that the human brain can have the same problem, because they haven't experienced it.
Telling someone in that condition "just do it" is like telling the person with the broken starter to "just drive to the auto mechanic and get it fixed".
poster:blueboy
thread:834046
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080606/msgs/834308.html