Posted by wcfrench on November 24, 2002, at 0:30:04
In reply to Re: Burns NOT a med-basher, posted by Peter S. on November 23, 2002, at 23:09:52
I was going to write more at some point, but I just have some small thoughts for now.
I think, at least from what I have felt so far, that anxiety is perhaps a better candidate for CBT than depression. Perhaps mild depression can be redirected to positive thoughts, or at least helped, but severe depression, for me the melancholia/loss of interest, etc, seems like it would be very difficult to undo. For my anxieties, I find the mind to be a powerful and effective tool, and with good training and dedication great results can be had. I'm skeptical, however, about major depression, as Peter said. Of course, I've not given my course the time and dedication it requires, and it spans nearly three months, so I will definitely give it a full chance. For now, I tend to think that deep-down depression is very difficult to correct without the *help* of medicine. I guess I'm hoping that though medicine is helping me now, perhaps one day I'll be ready to stop it and handle myself in a healthy, assured manner. I wish this so much for everyone, because as much as medicine does good, it can do bad. It can wear out, it can cause side effects.. I have no stigma about it, but I don't want to be on it my whole life. I was good at one point, and believe I could be good again.
-Charlie
poster:wcfrench
thread:128568
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021122/msgs/129011.html