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Treatment-Resistant Depression
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11-02-2017
03:54 AM
As expressed by my username and the above title I'm interested in discussing the above topic.
People who have had Treatment-Resistant Depression that was fixed or made better who could give me some insight would be great.
As of 11/02/17
I have seen
- 3 Psychologists
- 2 Psychiatrists (Not including two seen in ED on seperate occasions)
- 2 GPs
I have attended an estimated 60+ sessions with the above
I have unsuccessfully used
- 2 SSRIs
- 1NaSSA
I am currently using an SNRI.
None of these have helped my symptoms, instead I have gotten worse over the few years I have seeked treatment. Does anyone have any advice or could preferably shed some light on their personal experience. I've read some science but looking for anecdotes.
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14-02-2017
10:19 AM
Hi Chronic&Resistive
Firstly , I feel so bad for you that you have struggled so much with feeling so bad. It is very disheartening to struggle with ANY chronic illness or pain syndrome and just feel like you are not really getting anywhere with it.
I am hoping this doesn’t sound too simplistic or ridiculous given everything you have been through but maybe you could just get back to first principles, break it down a bit from a diagnosis into a symptom list.
For example….
What are the symptoms that bother you?.. Are you tired? Are you lonely? Are you lacking motivation? What are the actual barriers to you living the life that you feel is going to be OK for you?
Once you have listed the things that really are important for you to change then maybe you can think of some small steps to challenge each symptom. It appears that you can’t rely on medications or maybe even others to make those changes for you, so you HAVE to really dig deep and make tiny little challenges to each symptom yourself.
Let me give you an example. Say someone says “everything bores me and I don't find joy in anything” . So I would think.. Ok small steps… It is your job to find something to kickstart your brain out of the habit of telling yourself that everything is boring and distracting yourself from that false belief. If you were someone who has tended to like sport / exercise .. maybe you could design a programme that starts small but builds. Start at even 10 minutes a day .. but eventually ending in joining a hiking group or a team or going to a gym or trying new physical pursuits.
If you are a creative person , you might start with trying to notice one visually interesting thing a day and then build to trying to draw it and then maybe enrolling in a local art class… Same with cooking or craft or gardening. Interests and passions don't always come to you ( especially if you have a tendency to back away from rather than move toward things in life)… You work to find & belong to them.
You can try this small step process with each symptom.
There are many philosophers and great thinkers who have looked at the finding of joy in life - From Aristotle to Victor Frankl so you are not alone. There is no one answer to the question but many have suggested that being your best self, helping others and having a sense or purpose all help us to feel “happy”.
So I suggest that you take tiny steps along the path to being your best self and congratulate yourself for any taken in that direction . If you slip back, don't be angry at yourself, but be mindful of your human frailty and just try again when you can to move forward.
PS you mentioned that anecdotes might help. Have you considered a support group ?
Firstly , I feel so bad for you that you have struggled so much with feeling so bad. It is very disheartening to struggle with ANY chronic illness or pain syndrome and just feel like you are not really getting anywhere with it.
I am hoping this doesn’t sound too simplistic or ridiculous given everything you have been through but maybe you could just get back to first principles, break it down a bit from a diagnosis into a symptom list.
For example….
What are the symptoms that bother you?.. Are you tired? Are you lonely? Are you lacking motivation? What are the actual barriers to you living the life that you feel is going to be OK for you?
Once you have listed the things that really are important for you to change then maybe you can think of some small steps to challenge each symptom. It appears that you can’t rely on medications or maybe even others to make those changes for you, so you HAVE to really dig deep and make tiny little challenges to each symptom yourself.
Let me give you an example. Say someone says “everything bores me and I don't find joy in anything” . So I would think.. Ok small steps… It is your job to find something to kickstart your brain out of the habit of telling yourself that everything is boring and distracting yourself from that false belief. If you were someone who has tended to like sport / exercise .. maybe you could design a programme that starts small but builds. Start at even 10 minutes a day .. but eventually ending in joining a hiking group or a team or going to a gym or trying new physical pursuits.
If you are a creative person , you might start with trying to notice one visually interesting thing a day and then build to trying to draw it and then maybe enrolling in a local art class… Same with cooking or craft or gardening. Interests and passions don't always come to you ( especially if you have a tendency to back away from rather than move toward things in life)… You work to find & belong to them.
You can try this small step process with each symptom.
There are many philosophers and great thinkers who have looked at the finding of joy in life - From Aristotle to Victor Frankl so you are not alone. There is no one answer to the question but many have suggested that being your best self, helping others and having a sense or purpose all help us to feel “happy”.
So I suggest that you take tiny steps along the path to being your best self and congratulate yourself for any taken in that direction . If you slip back, don't be angry at yourself, but be mindful of your human frailty and just try again when you can to move forward.
PS you mentioned that anecdotes might help. Have you considered a support group ?
