Topic Title: its working!
| |  "its working!"
, Tue 22 Apr 13:00
i've been taking SJW since for about 10 weeks, recently switching to Natures Aid (UK brand). At first the change in me was very gradual, subtle, but the past week I've felt like a new person, the self doubts, endless negative thoughts almost gone. Having had mild depression for many years, and experienced similar improvements with anti depressants, I'm not counting my chickens and am cautious about thinking i'm 'cured'.
In the past, when feeling better, I've always then convinced myself that it was ME who got me out of depression, and almost dismiss the disease, believing i no longer need the drugs - i come off them, and then, slowly but surely, over a few months, slip back down again. i'm determined this time to accept that i have depression, and no matter how well i think i am, not to decide that i can do it alone without SJW.
I'm concerned over whether SJW (& anti -d's generally) merely deal with the symptoms, leaving the underlying depression lurking in the back of your subconscious, waiting to leap out at the earliest opportunity, or whether it provides a more complete cure? medical opinion and other experts seem divided about this, but surely it is a fundamental question. if they provide a complete cure, then we need just take the pill and carry on as normal - if not, then are we kidding ourselves that we're better, when really we're just papering over the cracks and ignoring the underlying issues (whatever they may be), allowing them to get worse.
what do others think?
Posts: 4 | | Registered: Wed 26 Mar 2003 4:13 |
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| |  "Re(1):its working!"
, Tue 8 Jul 07:35:
Penman:
For me, yours is a most encouraging set of postings. You were clearly close to giving up on SJW before finally the benefits kicked in at week 10. Clearly no placebo effect with you.
You raise some very interesting questions. It's sad that many people still think of all mental illnesses as self-inflicted, or the result of some long-forgotten incident in childhood. On top of this, there is still the Edwardian-Victorian embarrassment which stops people discussing depression. Especially sad as other former taboos such as being gay are happily no longer off-limits.
The truth is that people are born with congenital quirks in any number of their organs, and the brain is no exception. The sad case of the conjoined twins in the news today should perhaps put the nature-or-nuture debate to bed for good: they hadn't spent a minute apart in their lives but had clearly differing personalities.
Having said that, I have picked up any number of bad habits as a result of the foggy lethargy I've experienced since my early teens, and a I am sure a good cognitive therapist would be useful in helping me to analyse and unlearn them. (I've been taking SJW for mild depression for a week now: no marked changes yet except an unexpected but welcome marked decrease in alcohol cravings).
In the meantime, please keep us posted on your progress. I for one have been most encouraged by them, and I look forward to my "week 10" - whenever it comes.
[this message was edited by Clarion on Tue 8 Jul 07:38]
Posts: 2 | | Registered: Fri 4 Jul 2003 2:40 |
| |  "Re(1):its working!"
, Fri 25 Apr 15:09
Well, I'll offer my own opinions and experiences. I grew up believing that if you had an emotional problem it was probably based in past traumas (my father is a therapist). The problem for me was that I didn't have much trauma;I had a mostly happy childhood with good parents who were divorced but tried and succeeded to make my life rich anyway, and to get along as best they could. When I was eleven, I had a two year bout of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which may have been hormonally triggered. I went to therapy for all of that time, and it did seem as if it pulled me out eventually, though in retrospect, it may also have had to do with the start of my period at thirteen, which coincided with the end of that time of fear.
I was mostly ok from thirteen through maybe sixteen, but after that the slight twinges of depression and anxiety began to sieze me, and it got much worse when I went away to college. I suffered through the first couple of years of college, even though I went back to therapy at that time. Finally, at the end of junior year I decided that I'd had enough of being depressed, and I tried Paxil, along with hormonal therapy for PMS. Something changed in me then. Suddenly I could face a slight problem without a cyclone of fear racing around my head, and without that terrible slipping sensation that always led to depression for me. I stayed on Paxil for two and 1/2 years and finally have switched to 5htp because of side effects that I had had enough of. I still feel fine, blessedly "normal" and I rarely ever ride the emotional roller coaster.
So for me, the answer has been that yes, there is a physical tendency in my body to be anxious and depressed, especially in times of stress. My father had the same thing, and many of my uncles have it, and my grandmother also. My father was able to mostly overcome depression with years of therapy, though I think it still plagues him occasionally. The difference for him, was that his childhood was actually traumatic, and he really did have unresolved feelings about his parents which were wreaking havvoc on his psyche. Even though my dad is a therapist, he is happy that I have found something which works for me, finally. What I suspect is most true is that some of us do have chemical imbalances that lead us to tend to become depressed under difficult circumstances and in times of stress. However, the mind and the body are irrevocably intertwined. Positive Thoughts and feelings can effect those balances in the body, at the same time that adjusting those imbalanced chemicals can effect the way that our thoughts and feelings play out. I personally don't think it's a crutch, I think it's what I needed. Besides that, what does it really matter? We all deserve not to suffer, and if SJW or another substance can stop that suffering, than that is good. That's how I see it.
Sara
Posts: 8 | | Registered: Wed 23 Apr 2003 14:48 |
| | | "Re(2):its working!" , Sun 27 Apr 04:01
thanks wonderwoman, it was really interesting to read your comments and very helpful.
i'm becoming more convinced that depression is largely a chemical imbalance, and this then makes you vulnerable to various stressful triggers (that other people would negotiate a lot easier). Of course, if someone has had a particularly traumatic experience then that is different, but in my case, i can't really point to any, apart from the depression itself.
For too long i thought i should be able to 'beat' depression, and not be so weak - i realise this was very counter productive and am now more inclined to accept it, realise it is a disease and try to work with it more, and not feel i am selling myself short using medication - as my doctor pointed out, you wouldn't expect a diabetic to try and cope without insulin.
i'm only having 6 sessions of counselling, and hope it will be an interesting way of just looking into the past and seeing where things went wrong - i was concerned about turning into a therapy junkie who spends years in a fruitless effort to find deeper meanings etc, but now regard these sessions as just another useful tool, along with exercise, a healthier diet, relaxation and SJW.
thanks once again for your comments
penman
Posts: 8 | | Registered: Wed 26 Mar 2003 4:13 |
| | "Re(1):its working!" , Tue 22 Apr 13:35
I agree it is a question as to whether it actually solves problems or just covers them up. It's back to work tomorrow after some good time off. I've been on and off Prozac, SJW, and now just going on SAM-e gradually increasing dosages. It is a good thing about this forum as people sharing their experiences help a considerable amount while trying to help themselves. I think setbacks come from people that blame their problems outward not really getting themselves or anyone else anywhere better. But good luck in your pursuit all!
Posts: 10 | | Registered: Sun 13 Apr 2003 1:44 |
| | | "Re(2):its working!" , Wed 23 Apr 07:25
quote:
I agree it is a question as to whether it actually solves problems or just covers them up. It's back to work tomorrow after some good time off. I've been on and off Prozac, SJW, and now just going o
...
One thing to keep in mind. If your problem is a chemical imbalance than yes ssri's and SJW do "fix" the problem while you are on the med's. Until science discovers why certain people have these imbalances and also a way to make their brains stop reabsorbing the serotonin than these med's are a blessing. While on these meds the depression isn't "lurking somewhere" the hypericum is allowing your brain to deliver the serotonin to the synapses and over time the electrical signals in the brain are firing and reaching their proper destination. In our everyday experience we feel lighter, better able to deal with stress and other people. When we come off the meds any little stressor can trigger the depression. I personally don't think it is a crutch to rely on medicine as long as the purpose is corrective and not some attempt to find a "happy pill" designed to make us weird shiny happy people holding hands. :) The sober truth is that modern society is full of stress, bad food, pollution, crime, fear, anxiety, etc and some of us are physically predisposed to have a hard time dealing with it. I believe in a God who has created man in His own image. I believe that through mans sin that image has been compromised and so we suffer sickness and disease. But part of that image that remains is the intelligence that doctors and scientists use to discover medicine. Jesus isn't here on earth to put mud on my eye's and heal my ailments and so medicine is the next best thing....feel free to disregard all of the above it is just the way I see things. Have a good day!
Posts: 4 | | Registered: Sat 29 Mar 2003 6:34 |
| | | "Re(3):its working!" , Fri 25 Apr 03:43
Thanks for your comments. When I saw my doctor originally 10 weeks ago, he recommended SJW and also arranged some counselling sessions. There was a waiting list, so i only had the first session this week. Not sure how I feel about it - the counsellor is keen to rake over the past, look at where things went wrong, why i tend to put others on a pedastal and compare myself very badly to them, and also my relationship with my mother, (and i suspect he regards this as key). slightly concerned he might see me as a budding norman bates or something!
I find that when depressed I over analyse myself and end up feeling in a mess, very down on myself, and end up drawing the conclusion that psycologically i'm beyond help - this leads to suicidal thoughts. However, when I'm ok, (invariably after being on anti -d's) these thoughts don't even enter my head, they're not an issue - so surely i should be trying to get to the point where i'm not bothered by these thoughts, instead of trying to analyse them endlessly. Not sure whether counselling will just feed into all this and make it worse.
Posts: 5 | | Registered: Wed 26 Mar 2003 4:13 |
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