Posted by baseball55 on December 31, 2012, at 18:47:34
In reply to Re: Therapy and meds as a package, posted by Meltingpot on December 31, 2012, at 8:33:17
> Hi,
>
> But how has knowing what the underlying cause been, been of any use to you?
>
> It is good that you have found therapy a usefull tool. So do you think that you would be able to come off all medication and use what you have learnt from therapy instead?Everyone's different, but for me, knowing the underlying causes was important because I had been incapable of even acknowledging something was wrong. I was completely trapped in this armor of -- I'm fine, I don't need you, leave me alone. With the result that I was very alone and my two close relationships (with my husband and daughter) were falling apart. If I hadn't dealt with that, I doubt I would have sought help as the depression got worse and would just have killed myself.
But in dealing with the depression itself, what helped was DBT, which is not about underlying causes but about learning how to live and cope with pain. How to accept and try to develop some distance through mindfulness and meditation techniques. So now I can say -- okay, I am depressed right now, what does this feel like, let me sit with this without it overwhelming and frightening me.
As I said before, this doesn't mean meds aren't useful too. But most people (at least for me and for many on this list) do not achieve full remission on meds. I had tried them all, had seen some of the best and most experienced Harvard Medical School doctors around. But I couldn't get better and, more significant for me, I couldn't cope with being depressed. I slipped from just feeling bad and being unmotivated, to complete and utter hopelessness and suicidality. DBT has taught me how not to go there. But lamictal helps as well. I don't see any problem with using both.
poster:baseball55
thread:1034236
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121231/msgs/1034308.html