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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Squiggles on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:58
I have just discovered my fellow traveller
through "altered states". I am ashamed to
say that, though I have heard of him, this
is the first time I have read him - "Darkness
Visible". This is the best biographical
sketch of mental illness I have ever read.
I feel very close to everything he says.
I find his style very appealing, witty and
intelligent.If I should write a synopsis of the book,
should I place it under "books" here?Tx
Squiggles
Posted by Declan on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:58
In reply to William Styron and his dark journey, posted by Squiggles on August 2, 2005, at 14:26:46
Reading the book certainly made me nervous about taking Halcion. I was just taking a tiny bit (1/2 -1 tab), but nothing terrible happened. His description of friends coming to visit and how agonising it was for him have stayed with me. Also his depression, like my mother's, was pretty unresponsive to any treatments and followed its own mysterious path, maybe (just speculating) only improving when some internal limit had been reached. Pain? Exhaustion? Ability to remember?
Declan
Posted by Squiggles on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:58
In reply to Re: William Styron and his dark journey, posted by Declan on August 2, 2005, at 16:15:33
> Reading the book certainly made me nervous about taking Halcion. I was just taking a tiny bit (1/2 -1 tab), but nothing terrible happened. His description of friends coming to visit and how agonising it was for him have stayed with me. Also his depression, like my mother's, was pretty unresponsive to any treatments and followed its own mysterious path, maybe (just speculating) only improving when some internal limit had been reached. Pain? Exhaustion? Ability to remember?
> DeclanI was also impressed by the major factors
which he considered to be significant to his
depression:- alcohol
- psychoanalytic approach to a brain disease
- the doctors' archaic analysis of depression
as something in the "sadness" range, rather
than something requiring medical intervention;
He attributes his recovery to hospitilization
and antidepressants, his manic-depressive friend's help who escaped suicide through lithium.Like Dr. Torrey, i think he shows a preference for
serious medical intervention in treating
depression as you would treat any other serious
physical and critical illness.Squiggles
Posted by Squiggles on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:58
In reply to Re: William Styron and his dark journey, posted by Squiggles on August 2, 2005, at 16:24:55
p.s.
I forgot to add, the most important -
his father's depression and consequent
belief that genetics play a major role.Squiggles
Posted by Declan on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:58
In reply to Re: William Styron and his dark journey » Squiggles, posted by Squiggles on August 2, 2005, at 16:28:39
I thought he said that nothing helped except hospitalisation (being looked after).
Did ADs help him?
Declan
Posted by Squiggles on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:59
In reply to Re: William Styron and his dark journey, posted by Declan on August 2, 2005, at 20:46:29
I thought he was on Nardil by the time he was
hospitalized; maybe I have to reread that part.Squiggles
Posted by Declan on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:59
In reply to Re: William Styron and his dark journey, posted by Squiggles on August 2, 2005, at 20:49:32
That's interesting. It's ages since I read it.
Declan
Posted by Squiggles on August 3, 2005, at 3:23:59
In reply to Re: William Styron and his dark journey » Squiggles, posted by Declan on August 2, 2005, at 20:59:21
Upon admission, another dr. asked him how
much Halcion he was taking for sleep - too much
according to this dr., unlike Dr. Gold's
indifference. So, this doctor switched him
to Dalmane - that's explicit, that he did not
get ECT is explicit, but whether he was
on Nardil still is not.Certainly, he is critical of the careless
overprescription of benzos and barbiturates,
but as for causes, he is not unsympathetic
to the serotonin, cortisol, and other brain
hormone effects.Many causes are considered as he himself
is a great reader in the field.Squiggles
This is the end of the thread.
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