Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 383535

Shown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

what is remission?

Posted by shadowmon on August 29, 2004, at 0:20:14

my dr. says that the goal of antidepressiant therapy is to get yourself into remission.

Now, I ask you how do you know you are in remission. Sometimes I think I may be well (or at least ok) but my dr. has stated that he thinks that I have never been truly remissed.

I mean, come on, who can be in remission these days? right now I am still depressed, I know that for sure, but when I do feel better even though I have anxiety, does that mean I am in remission? I look at the money in the bank
(which is not much) and I get depressed.

where does the fine line of "normal emotional reactions" end and abnormal ones begin?

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by becksA on August 29, 2004, at 0:44:18

In reply to what is remission?, posted by shadowmon on August 29, 2004, at 0:20:14

....sounds like a question even a 2 hour discussion in a coffee shop could answer.

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by linkadge on August 29, 2004, at 11:11:49

In reply to Re: what is remission?, posted by becksA on August 29, 2004, at 0:44:18

Remission is defined as something like a 70% reduction in depression symptoms. You would need to take the HAM-D or something to get a measurement of your progress.

Lots of people are in remssion from depression. When I first started treatment I was in remission for nearly a full year, Ie the symtpoms for which I seeked treatment for were nearly gone. I twiddled with my meds though and got myself all messed up. Few of us here on this board are probably in remssion, the remitted ones are out enjoying their lives.

Linkadge


 

Re: what is remission? » shadowmon

Posted by Larry Hoover on August 29, 2004, at 11:14:26

In reply to what is remission?, posted by shadowmon on August 29, 2004, at 0:20:14

> my dr. says that the goal of antidepressiant therapy is to get yourself into remission.
>
> Now, I ask you how do you know you are in remission. Sometimes I think I may be well (or at least ok) but my dr. has stated that he thinks that I have never been truly remissed.

Your doctor is specifically trained to observe certain characteristics that suggest the patient has remitted. You, on the other hand, have a very subjective perspective. You may have returned to a state that is typical for you, but that state may not be remission. Your typical may well be dysthymic, according to the way your doctor assesses your state of well-being.

> I mean, come on, who can be in remission these days? right now I am still depressed, I know that for sure, but when I do feel better even though I have anxiety, does that mean I am in remission? I look at the money in the bank
> (which is not much) and I get depressed.

I understand your perspective. I have what is known as "double depression", wherein my normal or typical state is dysthymia, and over top of that, I can have major depressive episodes. To me, dysthymia feels like euthymia (i.e. full remission), but lengthy periods of observation and feedback from my doctor and counsellor have convinced me that my own scale of measurement is skewed. What I once took to be hypomania may just have been normal functioning, a rare break from my typical dysthymic existence.

> where does the fine line of "normal emotional reactions" end and abnormal ones begin?

That's best assessed by a trained professional, IMHO. If you don't like that professional's opinion, is it possible to obtain another one?

Lar

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by Racer on August 29, 2004, at 11:36:22

In reply to Re: what is remission? » shadowmon, posted by Larry Hoover on August 29, 2004, at 11:14:26

Regarding the line between normal emotional reactions and abnormal, that's a question I have been hurting over this past week or so, too. (And a curse -- a really serious curse -- upon the woman who first gave me Wittgenstein to read!)

I'm not sure I've come to any really firm opinion about it, but the best I can do is sit in Ludwig's chair and say that the boundary is drawn according to our needs at the time. Having had the money thing going myself, in a very big way, my guess is that 'remission' means that we see that number, recognize the pain it causes us, grieve for it, and then move on. Double points, I think, if we can move on to looking at alternative solutions...

One of my old students would pay me in cookies -- her husband worked at a cookie factory, so he'd bring them home for her to pay me with. That's an alternative solution to a lack of money preventing someone from taking the classes that would lead to better job opportunities. Make sense? Another potential student, though, called numerous times saying she couldn't find a job, because she didn't have the skills, but she couldn't afford our classes so she sat at home -- calling me over and over for a couple of weeks -- and I offered her a deal: come in and work in our office a few hours per week, and she could get not only the classes themselves, but experience, a letter of recommendation, and some private coaching to boot. Nope, that was too hard for her. Personally, I think the first one shows what remission might look like -- and she was sunny and sweet, too, so I'd probably have *given* her the lessons anyway, if she didn't seem to like "paying" for them. (And the cookies were awfully good...) The second, on the other hand, might not have been clinically depressed, but she certainly had some sort of hopelessness going on that probably met the description of dysthymia.

What is remission? You know, I know that I've been there -- nice countryside, wish I'd brought a camera -- but can't seem to find my way back. Maybe once someone here finds the way, s/he'll send us all a roadmap.

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by linkadge on August 29, 2004, at 11:54:07

In reply to Re: what is remission?, posted by Racer on August 29, 2004, at 11:36:22

"What is remission? You know, I know that I've been there -- nice countryside, wish I'd brought a camera -- but can't seem to find my way back. Maybe once someone here finds the way, s/he'll send us all a roadmap."

Unfortunately the road to remission is different for most people. The meds that bring significant relief for you may not for somebody else.


Linkadge

 

Re: linkage, post for you on alternative (nm) » linkadge

Posted by Larry Hoover on August 29, 2004, at 12:48:51

In reply to Re: what is remission?, posted by linkadge on August 29, 2004, at 11:54:07

 

That was meant as a joke (nm) » linkadge

Posted by Racer on August 29, 2004, at 14:26:02

In reply to Re: what is remission?, posted by linkadge on August 29, 2004, at 11:54:07

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by Camille Dumont on August 31, 2004, at 1:01:51

In reply to what is remission?, posted by shadowmon on August 29, 2004, at 0:20:14

Contrary to what my doctor seems to be adamant on, I believe myself to be in remission. Its always hard to tell because I mean are you "really" better or is it just the meds masking the depression and what not ... but to me it sort of feels like my "psychological resources" bank account has finally gone back into the black rather than constantly being "in the red" ... like when you always feel close to the pit and that even a small thing could push you over. I also find myself feeling more like "before" ... that is the closest time to now that I can remember being happy ... and the goal being to go back to a similar state of mind and level of functionning.

But then again, this is just a sort of bet ... for yet another few months ... I've taken away the Effexor but I'm still taking the second AD so I can't yet tell what I will be like when I'm really on my own without the chemical support ... so it remains a gamble.

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by linkadge on August 31, 2004, at 17:07:21

In reply to Re: what is remission?, posted by Camille Dumont on August 31, 2004, at 1:01:51

This is proabably a touchy subject but most peoples depression is a combination of chemistry and environment. THe chemistry may be easier to alter than ones environment. To remit probably takes improvement in both.

Linkadge

 

Re: what is remission?

Posted by goin nuts on September 29, 2004, at 23:29:24

In reply to Re: what is remission?, posted by Camille Dumont on August 31, 2004, at 1:01:51

good luck...you seem to be doing fine...


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