Anonymous asked this question on 4/26/2000:
Thank you for your advice in advance. I have been diagnosed as clinically depressed and have been given elavil (since sometime last year). The elavil works almost instantly for me (which I am told is unusual because it usually takes a few weeks to kick in). Thankfully, the elavil does for depression (cloaks) what asprin does for a headache. My problem is that I am taking larger and larger doses of elavil to control my depression lately. I am so angry and frustrated with my job, the commute to work, and other things. More specifically, I am angry at my coworkers who take a lackadaisical attitude towards their work. I am angry at other commuters that do not follow traffic regulations. I am angry at people who generally make life more difficult. I am so frustrated with modern life and think I would feel relief if I just got a gun and blew everyone away. The feel of the recoil, the smell of smoke and the loud noise and knowing that I finally silenced the angry noise in my life. I think I would actually enjoy removing stress that way. The elavil helps to control the depression, but the amounts I am taking are sapping all of my energy. I know my thoughts are not healthy and I have made an appointment with a psychiatrist (and have scheduled for a vacation). I am a man in my late twenties; I was sexually and physically abused as a child. Is there something I can take that will cause me not to care when everything goes wrong? I've tried several herbs and I am still stressed out. I believe the elavil controls my depression, but is there something to desensitize myself to stimulus from life? Thank you.
karunap gave this response on 4/26/2000:
Drugs is not where to look.... that will just create an addiction dependence.
Depression is due primarily to blocked anger. You are aware of how much anger is stored inside of you. You need to get the anger out of your body. Anger that is here and now.... and anger at all of the traumas that happened to you as a child.
Find a therapist that does active forms of therapy.... bioenergetic energy/feeling release, psychodrama, gestalt, contracts, accountability, etc. I find group therapies that use multiple forms of therapy the most successful.
A
karunap gave this follow-up answer on 4/26/2000:
Drugs is not where to look.... that will just create an addiction dependence.
Depression is due primarily to blocked anger. You are aware of how much anger is stored inside of you. You need to get the anger out of your body. Anger that is here and now.... and anger at all of the traumas that happened to you as a child.
Find a therapist that does active forms of therapy.... bioenergetic energy/feeling release, psychodrama, gestalt, contracts, accountability, etc. I find group therapies that use multiple forms of therapy the most successful.
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.
It is obvious that the drugs are not working. Start doing your therapy. If you put your time and energy into it you will see the results fairly soon. You deserve to live without the anger.
(Let me know if you happen to live in Seattle.)
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