Posted by sid on December 19, 2001, at 15:22:44
In reply to Sid: about talking » sid, posted by IsoM on December 19, 2001, at 13:31:58
IsoM,
thanks for your message.Well, I can't vow for what he/she meant to say, only for what was written, and I disagreed with it. Some people do make the choice of not trying psychotherapy and it is their right not to even consider it. Doesn't mean it wouldn't work however.
I work with someone who's been on antidepressants for a long time. She is blatantly in need of therapy, makes everybody around her miserable because of her bad and irrational temper, but hey! she's above questioning herself, according to her - nothing wrong with her except brain chemistry. I happen to think that a little work would change her life for the better. No amount of antidepressant will do anything for someone who needs therapy and no amount of therapy will help anyone who needs antidepressants only. I think that most people with depression need both, especially to avoid relapses. Professionals, especially those with PhDs (I am one of them), tend to protect their turfs and that's why there is such a separation between psychology and psychiatry. Some of them are oprn minded enough to recommend both approaches jointly, but they are still too rare I find.
Anyway, I had to say something because psychotherapy contributed to saving my life and I believe it could help many others. And my depression was real, I went as far as losing some psychomotricity - I could have not signed my name if my life had depended on it. That was more than just being depressed, that was real uncontrollable major depression. Mind you, drugs might have done the job too, perhaps faster, but in the long run I am persuaded that I can avoid relapses better.
> Sid, I talk with adamie through e-mail, & I don't think he quite meant that. He doesn't hold back & seems quite open. Some people who've had depression for years develop "unhealthy" thinking patterns & talk therapy is very beneficial for them to retrain their thought processes & to overcome guilty feelings that they shouldn't have.
>
> If someone was "normal" before & some episode precipitated the depression, just straightening the brain chemistry will make them feel good. But it doesn't happen like that very often.
>
> I think it can be a fine line to tread for a doctor. Doctor asks patient "How are you feeling? Any problems you want to talk about?" & patient says "Nope! Everything's good." Does the doctor believe the patient or not? Is the patient really feeling good now or just refusing to discuss problems? I think it would be an awfully tough situation to judge correctly. That's why they're well-trained.
>
> Some people just need to share their feelings with someone, but many really do need talk therapy along with their medications.
poster:sid
thread:87225
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011213/msgs/87437.html