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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Twinleaf on August 13, 2014, at 9:29:07
When I first developed depression about 20 years ago, the immediate causes seemed clear. I had lost both parents and a brother I was very close to within just a few months. The initial therapy efforts focused on grieving these losses.
But, as time passed, and the depression became chronic, it was apparent that something further was amiss. In my last effort at therapy, we focused much more on the first several years of my life - and the fact that my mother had been hospitalized for post-partum depression for the first year of my life. She made an excellent recovery, and was a good mother in later years. However, the therapist and I came to realize that this early loss made me extremely vulnerable to later losses - a fact that had been covered up by a secure, happy marriage and the birth of a son who was an absolute delight to raise.
I learned how important our non-verbal right hemispheres are in building feelings of secure attachment - on a basic level, how many millions of neuronal branches and connections have to be made during the first years of life. . A lot of the therapy was non-verbal - like the therapy sessions described by Allen Schore and Beatrice Beebe. Truthfully, I don't know exactly what happened in the therapy - it was some kind of unconscious change in the direction of increased security and well-being (very much aided by rTMS and stress-lowering agents such as tianeptine and rhodiola rosea). I am bringing this up to emphasize how just grieving the losses of adulthood didn't help the depression much at all, but that (presumably) going back and partially changing the parts of my brain which dealt with the nature of my earliest experience seemed to make a huge difference in my emotional well-being.
I am bringing this up here because I have been wondering how many other people may have had stressful experiences in early life which may have contributed to later depression. From what I have read, even emotional misattunement may lead to major attachment insecurities and later depression.
I don't mean to imply that the biological aspects of depression are unimportant. Stressful early experiences lead to chronically altered HPA axes and elevated stress hormone levels which are the biological substrates of depression. And of curse there are genetic components for many people.
I am emphasizing this mainly because I only recently learned how important it has been for me, and it is an aspect of depression that one can really do something about. I thought a number of other people might feel it is also relevant for them. I apologize for posting on "Medications" but I have been noticing how very low the traffic is on "Psychology", and was afraid no-one might notice it there.
Posted by Phillipa on August 13, 2014, at 9:53:21
In reply to The role of early childhood experience in later de, posted by Twinleaf on August 13, 2014, at 9:29:07
Well you know my story with childhood, sick Mother, and raising myself. But I did recover from this when excelled at RN school had grown kids already and loved working. Was when thyroid went that all the problems developed. Now can't or should I say will not go anywhere alone as fear surrounds me. And now the fear of Alzheimers from having lost smell and taste l0 years ago. And back pain is my constant companion. I want to be normal for a few years.No therapists for me they didn't help. Only thing meds do something for is sleep. I need to be active. Old age is not for the weak. Wears one out. So what now? Good thing you posted here though as traffic is like molasses. Phillipa
Posted by ClearSkies1 on August 13, 2014, at 15:48:25
In reply to The role of early childhood experience in later de, posted by Twinleaf on August 13, 2014, at 9:29:07
This has been my personal experience. Early infancy, chronic trauma moulded my psyche in every way. There's no reconciling it, and I have worked like the dickens in therapy to be at the best functionality I can.
Medically I am relatively stable, considering an unhappy marriage and an extended family far more dysfunctional than my own birth family is.
That is being finally addressed, and I will, for the first time in my life, live on my own.
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 17, 2014, at 6:26:02
In reply to Re: The role of early childhood experience in later de » Twinleaf, posted by ClearSkies1 on August 13, 2014, at 15:48:25
How could you adress that? I have an extremely dysfunctional mother. She is a nutcase basically. And its everyone elses fault, not her brain chemistry.
I am just a leech. All my life i have been. Its not like its an responsibility to have a child, it is the childs job to take care of mothers emotions! However irrational they may be.
Constant complaints, but allergic reaction to any kind of help that is offered. Outright loony.
I thought abou telling her therapist, but then id open myself up to rebuke as well.
Posted by Twinleaf on August 18, 2014, at 9:32:32
In reply to Re: The role of early childhood experience in later de, posted by Lamdage22 on August 17, 2014, at 6:26:02
It is so hard to deal with a parent with such serious problems as yours has. But it is possible!
You do need a really good therapist of your own, first of all. The basics of truly successful therapy, I think. are separating yourself emotionally from your mother, grieving for not receiving the things you really needed from her, building inner strength from developing a secure attachment to your therapist - and then eventually moving emotionally into independent, healthy adulthood. All of these things can happen if you find a therapists who is also committed to these goals and who is a "good fit" for you.
From what I recall, you have a good supportive environment and excellent medical care. How is the therapy part of your treatment?
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 18, 2014, at 10:21:40
In reply to Re: The role of early childhood experience in later de, posted by Twinleaf on August 18, 2014, at 9:32:32
> From what I recall, you have a good supportive environment and excellent medical care. How is the therapy part of your treatment?
Hmm medical care is so so. But supportive environment, yes.
The therapy part is pretty good. I guess i could address that there. Tomorrow.
This is the end of the thread.
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