Anonymous asked this question on 5/16/2000:
I am a w/53yrold female suffering from chronic severe, treatment resistent depression for many years, this last episode is now in the 2nd year, I am on my third psychitrist. My current doctor is at Johns Hopkins and is well known in the field of mental illenss. If have tried every anti-dpressent known to man, I even had 7 ECTS last year, and they did not help! I don't understand what is wrong. I see ads that depression can be helped, but nothing has helped me. I want to feel better so badly, it's making me more depressed. I never go out of the house, or get dressed and most days don't get out of bed except when my husband takes me to the doctors or the hospital. Luckily I have an understanding husband and no children to care for, so sleeping all day is only hurting me. Does anyone have any advise or suggestions for me? thank you so much
karunap gave this response on 5/16/2000:
Have you ever done an active form of therapy? Therapy that includes feeling release, working through old traumas, contracting, accountability, filling in developmental gaps, etc. (bioenergetics, psychodrama, gestalt, regression).
I find that people that use only talk therapy or only medications often don't get very far in their healing process. The more active therapies, in my opinion, allow people to work through the deeper core level traumas.
Depression is most often due to stuffing one's feelings….. particularly anger. The first step in moving out of the depression is to start doing feeling work. I suggest people do 15-60 minutes a day of feeling work.
There are many forms. Some examples:
Write lists of mads, sads and scares. Journal about past and present feelings, Feel them as you write. Write angry letters and then destroy them Twist a towel Pound a pillow. Push against a wall pretending you are pushing away people you are angry with. Scream into a pillow or pool. Stomp as you walk
Talk to your friends….. find ways to increase your support system.
Improve your diet and exercise patterns
Read GOOD GRIEF RITUALS, LETTING GO OF SUFFERING and GROWING UP AGAIN.
I hope some of the above ideas are helpful. I do believe you can heal from the depression. It is like finding the pieces to a puzzle. You don't know ahead of time what will work..... just keep actively moving towards health.