Posted by jay on October 4, 2001, at 6:05:05
In reply to Re: Social Support/Therapy while on meds » jay, posted by Cam W. on October 4, 2001, at 4:26:06
> Jay - I have been undergoing cognitive therapy to help me deal with my depression and grief for the last couple of months,. It is by far the best and most effective treatment I have ever undergone! I have learned so much about myself. I am working to build my self-esteem and self-confidence, control my negative self-talk, and to actually live in my body, rather than in my head (ie. I am learning how important emotions really are).
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> What is really incredible is that my psychologist hasn't told me anything that I didn't already know. She has helped me connect my thoughts and beliefs to my actions; and how these developed throughout my life.I may come out of this a little closer to self-actualization, or at least become a little wiser (knowledge is not wisdom). As Dr. Betty says, it's time to get out of my head and return to my body.
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> I have been to several therapists, but none have the intelligence and insight that Dr. Betty Stevens-Guille has. I would highly recommend her to anyone in the Edmonton, Alberta area. She is tough, but tender; you can't B.S. her for long, nor will she let you change the subject when she has you by the short curlys. But she has an honest, spontaneous laugh and a very witty sense of humour.
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> I really do believe that in order either to "cure" exogenous (reactive) depression or to properly manage endogenous (genetic or life-long) depression, one needs some sort of cognitive shift. In other words, ya gotta fix the shit that caused the HPA axis to uncouple. Yes, I know, some forms of depression are not entirely a result of an extremely stressful past or present environment(s), but most are.
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> I still think that learning to live with depression is as important, if not more important (in some cases) than medication. Pharmacotherapy is, in most cases of true MDD, absolutely necessary. Someone on this board has described medication as "putting the floor under one's feet". Antidepressants can allow psychotherapy to be understood.
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> - a healing Cam
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> "Sometimes you can see the light in the strangest places, when you look at it right."
> "Scarlet Begonias" - Robert HunterHi Cam:
Thanks for responding, and as I mentioned in my last post, using both talking-cognitive therapy AND medication I think is the best weapon we have against depression and bipolar illness. Both are far from perfect, but the combination provides both remision of symptoms, AND, a chance to grow, learn, and become a better person. I think the worst thing we can let depression do is rob us of our ability to learn from it.
Adding to your point about meds "putting the floor under our feet", Andrew Sololomen(sp?) in Noonday Demon (an amazing book...highly recommend it for ANYONE with depression/bipolar illness), he makes a great comment: "The unexamined life is unavailable to the depressed."
Hence, meds can allow the symptoms to ease up so we can open up and "examine", and then talk therapy gives us the tools to examine and change.I made the comment in my previous post that I couldn't understand why some people see therapy as so "threatening". I mean, it is like they are very vocal and angry when talk therapy along with their meds is suggested. Maybe they just never had the right therapist. I don't like to be judgemental, but I think some who refuse the value of talk therapy may have ego-type issues to deal with, and you get this feeling that they think they are too "smart" for therapy or something. Sorry if I sound a bit harsh and judgemental, but it is what at least I feel.
I have been mostly involved in group therapy, and find it amazing, and do one-to-one therapy once every few months. It is all new to me, and after nine years of getting little done on meds, this therapy plus meds is like *rocket fuel*.
Anyhow, I look forward to participating more on psych-social, and should have looked deeper into it before.
Thanks for the comments and support...
The best in healing..
Jay:-)
poster:jay
thread:12078
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010927/msgs/12092.html