Posted by lucie lu on October 19, 2008, at 19:01:52
In reply to Re: it crept up on me when I wasn't noticing... » lucie lu, posted by twinleaf on October 19, 2008, at 14:29:34
> Thank you, Lucie. I couldn't agree more about the seriousness of depression and the need to treat it promptly- because of those changes which take place in the brain which you mentioned. But it does seem like almost all of us have to spend a lot of time floundering around trying different medications, and trying to find a helpful therapist.
So true. Actually I was thinking about my own experiences with depression and that of my 20-something daughter. I had my first significant episode of depression as a child; it lasted about two years. Then small ones followed and another major one in my teens that lasted about 3 years. In those days (60's) it was believed that children did not get depressed so there was no treatment available. I have battled recurrent depression for many years, hospitalized once. So... the point of this is that my daughter, when she was in her teens, became severely depressed and she too was hospitalized. But she got treatment pretty promptly - meds and therapy. The message I got from that study was that my years of untreated depression are likely to have affected my brain structure and chemistry, leaving me vulnerable to recurring depressive episodes (although I believe that therapy - and maybe meds as well - are reversing this trend). My daughter though is fortunate because she was not depressed long enough for significant brain changes, so she will not be likely to have future recurrences. I like this theory, it makes sense to me. Plus it's a comfort to me as a mother. Neuroscience is wonderful.
> Even though my previous analyst really did break down, I had a terrible time dealing with it, and for a long time thought it was my fault that it had happened.. Now, I feel more objective about what happened; at the time it caused me endless sleepless nights and long bouts of hopeless crying- actually, part of almost every day for a year. It was a tragedy for everybody. It happened during the spring of 2007, and is documented in painful detail in the archives under my then posting name, Pfinstegg- in case anyone wants to read the gory details!. But I don't think I communicated how long and painful the mourning period was for me. The Babblers were absolutely wonderful - tons of unconditional understanding and support.
I recognize your old posting name. What an awful, terrible, sad experience! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But it seems remarkable that you still had the courage to risk yourself again after such an experience. And now you are rewarded with a wonderful relationship :)
> TMS is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, which has just been approved by the FDA on October 9 of this year for TRD depression. It uses electromagnetic pulses, and unlike ECT does not require anesthesia and does not cause any memory loss or other mental changes. Even though the good effect was only a few weeks long for me, one or two treatments would reliably bring me back to a depression-free state. I think, because it is so safe, it is going to rapidly become important in the treatment of bipolar and unipolar depression. People who need more help than their medication and therapy are giving them can give TMS a try and have peace of mind while they are doing it. The worst thing it can do is not work; it won't damage you the way ECT might.
I had heard of that but didn't realize it was so effective or so quickly becoming mainstream. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the info.
Lucie
poster:lucie lu
thread:858205
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081018/msgs/858309.html