Depression

Cagliostro · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:15 pm Post subject:

I think my biggest problems with therapy was that I got a misconception from taking a psychology class they these therapists sit and work with you to find a cure for what ails you, finding things like what the cause of your problem is, and magically you are all better one day. It was a naive concept, yes. What I now believe they do is work with you to help you realize what the problems are, try to reframe your problems in such a way so that you can help yourself, and point things out that you might have a blind spot toward. At least those are the things I found helpful with the limited amount of therapy I have had that has been positive.
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Linna Heartbooger · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject:

Cag- that makes sense; I would even imagine that a really good counselor/therapist would be surprised by some of the solutions that their counselees/patients whatever come up with - because it's nothing that THEY could have figured out for them.

Right now I'm at a spot in my counseling where I'm feeling "stuck" / not necessarily wanting to deal with my own problems. =( Meh.

I'm going back and reading this whole thread... maaan, people have said so many worthwhile things. I especially want to pick on Av, (for things he said 5 years ago, ha!) because I saw him repeatedly hammering on a point that I halfway understand and halfway agree with. ;P With lots of caveats.

I liked what you had to say about depression so often going to self-pity, and the wrongness of taking oneself too seriously. But then so much of what people talk about as the "goal" for all us depressed people is all about individual. (I think you're just as bad of an offender as can be found, in terms of holding this view - call me on it if you're wrong.) I think, "What if the 'real problem' is the brokenness of our connections with others?"

Holstey- ack... it sounds like your mind walls you in with options in which there is NO right thing you could do, yet you MUST never do wrong. I -hate- the debilitation of second-guessing, third-fourth-fifth-guessing myself and so on... I think what you were talking about is something I identify with. And do a lot. I am so curious as to whether you grew up under parents who were sorta "critcal churchgoing people" - "do as I do not as I say; you are to be patient, kind, don't harm others; you are never under any circumstances to show anger with me" - yet constantly justify harming and cutting down their own family members with harsh words (and possibly more).
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"People without hope not only don't write novels, but what is more to the point, they don't read them.
They don't take long looks at anything, because they lack the courage.
The way to despair is to refuse to have any kind of experience, and the novel, of course, is a way to have experience."
-Flannery O'Connor

"In spite of much that militates against quietness there are people who still read books. They are the people who keep me going."
-Elisabeth Elliot, Preface, "A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael"

Cambo · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:09 pm Post subject:

Yeah, this is a pretty amazing thread.

I often find my depression turns to self-pity, and I find noticing that is one of the most effective ways to snap me out of it. I find it pretty unattractive in myself, so it pisses me off enough to take hold of myself, if that makes sense.

The worst times, though, are when my depression doesn't focus on myself at all. Those are much harder to escape.
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^"Amusing, worth talking to, completely insane...pick your favourite." - Avatar

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Harbinger · Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:09 am Post subject:

It's horrible how the pharmaceutical advertising portrays people as victims. That just lends to the problem; they know it and capitalize on it.
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Never underestimate the power of denial. - Ricky Fitts

Linna Heartbooger · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:22 pm Post subject:

Cambo- Yeah, makes sense; When I get mad at myself, it usually cycles to self-blame and more depression... I feel that any way I have of talking about this will involve lots of self-justification. Meh!

Really dark ones that doesn't focus on yourself... ick. By the way, in one of my more recent episodes, the "in my darkest moment- fetal and weeping" thing would go through my head sometimes. (though I hadn't been on the Watch so much around then, I think)

Though I think that for me, some of the times when I am depressedly agonizing over the state of the world, there is a well-concealed bit of narcissim... that it's really about me, with reference to me "having to be so aware of what things are like, because I have the 'great moral quality' to choose to not blind myself like everyone else does, yadda-yadda."
_________________
"People without hope not only don't write novels, but what is more to the point, they don't read them.
They don't take long looks at anything, because they lack the courage.
The way to despair is to refuse to have any kind of experience, and the novel, of course, is a way to have experience."
-Flannery O'Connor

"In spite of much that militates against quietness there are people who still read books. They are the people who keep me going."
-Elisabeth Elliot, Preface, "A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael"

Cambo · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:48 pm Post subject:

Avatar · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:47 am Post subject:

Cambo · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:16 am Post subject:

Linna Heartbooger · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 2:57 pm Post subject:

Fist and Faith · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:00 pm Post subject:

I don't say much in this thread, because I just don't know what it's like to have actual depression. But this needs comment:

Cambo · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:53 pm Post subject:

Fist and Faith · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:42 pm Post subject:

Cambo... I don't want you to misunderstand this, so I'll try to be clear...

If you ever post a link to something like that again, I'll have you banned from the Close.
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All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest -Paul Simon

rdhopeca · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:45 pm Post subject:

Cambo · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:03 am Post subject:

Linna Heartbooger · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:15 am Post subject:

Avatar · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:02 am Post subject:

Cambo · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:58 am Post subject:

Fist and Faith · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:41 am Post subject:

Avatar · Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:00 am Post subject: