Posted by g_g_g_unit on January 28, 2013, at 3:07:08
In reply to Re: disheartening psychiatrist appt. » g_g_g_unit, posted by hyperfocus on January 27, 2013, at 21:34:27
> The co-morbid ADHD inattention with anhedonia and amotivation can be devastating. It makes it so much harder to do the things that can help the depression, like working at something you like or exercising or reading or just napping.
I know. Dealing with that on top of severe OCD is a nightmare.
>
> If you feel like you're in danger of harming yourself then you need to protect yourself, certainly. But apart from this case if you did go inpatient what do you expect will happen? The doctors there won't be any more caring -- they'll be worse. The probable outcome is that you'd be medicated to the ears with anti-psychotics and spend half-the-day sleeping and the other half zombiefied and walk out of there no better than when you went in.
>How do you know? Was that your inpatient experience? The facility I'd like to go to has a specialized inpatient OCD program, as well as a day program for ADHD.
I've essentially lost the ability to take care of myself; my OCD has grown so severe that I am constantly fearful of losing my mind, dissociated, agoraphobic etc. I am beset by phobic avoidance on all fronts, 24/7. On top of that, I'm stuck living with a family who don't really understand or think I'm just not trying hard enough.
I wanted to go to hospital to a) spend time away from my family, b) drive the point home to my family about how severe my condition is, c) get acute relief for anxiety, because I can barely even leave the house to get to my psychiatrist appointments anymore.
> I honestly don't know why the Xanax wouldn't at least manage the anxiety to let you function a bit-- it's the first time I've read of a reaction like yours.
Paradoxical reactions to benzos aren't unheard of.
>I suppose you could try other benzos but I think >this guy feels more meds are a dead-end. You >could just try the therapy and see what happens. >Different types of therapy can get you the same >place meds can without the over-reaching constant >dread of poopout.
I just don't think talking to him for an hour a week is going to do much for my severe anxiety and avoidance issues, let alone my OCD. I need something more structured, like exposure therapy.
>
> I think we all idealize treatment and recovery. The meds that can help the ADHD are probably going to worsen the depression and anxiety and OCD. There may not be any lucky combination cocktail for you, at least not right now. Med-wise you should just pick the thing that you want to improve that you value the most and can improve your general day-to-day life. For me personally I can live with constant depression and social anxiety but the thing I HAD to have was the ability to concentrate and get some fulfillment from reading and working and exercise. I hope that eventually I'll be able to make the other stuff less noticeable.This is good advice. Does amitriptyline do anything for your inattentive symptoms? I suppose if I *had* to choose, I would need to get rid of the constant, plaguing anxiety, though at the same time I'd also like to improve my attention/interest in things. It's hard to find a balance.
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> I think therapy works within a long-term framework. Part of that framework means changing the expectations you have for yourself healing from your illness. It may take years and it's quite likely you're not going to be the person you were 7 years ago. A lot of stuff is going to be different -- it might be impossible to recover a lot of things from your previous life. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing. If after a year you find yourself able to work 3-4 hours a day from home and sleep a lot and be a recluse, then that might be a good medium-term target. It doesn't mean you're gonna stay there but it's better than fruitlessly trying to find meds to make you 'normal'. Normal doesn't mean anything.
poster:g_g_g_unit
thread:1036417
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130124/msgs/1036652.html