Posted by Twinleaf on September 1, 2012, at 22:55:39
I thought I would post on this topic, because there aren't too many discussions about therapy on the board now, and also because I have relied principally on therapy myself in my efforts to recover from a major depression. I do not mean to suggest that I don't have physiological changes in my brain as a result of having developed MDD; I am sure that I do. Although most of the medications I took were not very helpful, tianeptine combined with rTMS made a big difference, not in getting rid of the depression exactly, but in giving me much more of a hopeful feeling that I could overcome it. This did gradually happen in the therapy I had, which was a kind of psychoanalytic therapy in which the relationship between me and my therapist was the primary focus. A vulnerability to depression was undoubtedly always there, because of my mother's hospitalization for post- partum depression just after I was born, and her subsequent difficulties with being a close, supportive mother. I did not develop depression myself after the birth of my son, but did develop it for the first time shortly after my mother died. There were clearly strong emotional reasons in my situation; I know that many people who develop MDD have a much less clear picture of the reasons why. I was very vulnerable to the stress involved in losing someone very important.
The therapy really helped tremendously. It has been a "good match". He seemed to fill the much-needed role of a good mother, who stayed right there through many ruptures and repairs, and through all the intense feelings I had for him, from love to rage. As I began to really know that he was there for me, no matter how I was feeling, the depression gradually lifted; I have not had much at all for the past three years; I feel once again happy and engaged with people, work and activities. Looking back, the quality and intensity of the relationship to him is what mattered, and is what I will always remember. I'm now very gradually seeing him less - we are both very cautious about doing that very slowly! As long as he is practicing, I will probably see him at least once in a while.
I feel very fortunate that this has worked so well for me, but am curious as to whether others who have strong emotional reasons for their depression have found the same thing to be true for them. I think it's pretty hard to find the right person. It certainly was for me, but once I did, things began to get better almost right away. I hope this has also been the case for others.
poster:Twinleaf
thread:1024675
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20120518/msgs/1024675.html