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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ilene on August 9, 2005, at 13:36:48
I don't hang on this board, because I'm not seeing a therapist, but I found a couple of newspaper articles I thought I'd share.
The first one is from the Wall Street Journal 8/9/05, p. B1--"For Mild Depression, Some U.K. Doctors Prescribe Reading" by Jeanne Whalen. This describes a new program in more than a dozen counties across the UK. When some doctors see a patient w/ mild to moderate depression or anxiety, they prescribe a self-help book. They began prescribing books out of concern that too many depressed people were either being medicated too hastily with antidepressant drugs or going untreated. Also, the waiting lists for one-to-one counseling can run up to 18 months.
The other one is in the New York Times, 8/9/05, p. D7--"Talk Therapy Succeeds In Reducing Suicide Risk" by Benedict Carey. This article is about a study published in the Aug. 3 issue of JAMA which is the largest and most rigorous test of a psychotherapy technique (cognitive therapy) in people whose attempts to end their lives have been serious enought to land them in hospitals. This is a group of people who are usually excluded from studies of depression treatments. These patients had multiple problems, incuding drug addiction, depression, and homelessness. The course of therapy was 8 to 10 sessions. Suicide attempts were cut almost in half in the treated group in a year and a half. Researchers are also working with people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, but the therapy is long term, typically lasting a year or more.
Posted by Dinah on August 10, 2005, at 16:22:03
In reply to 2 interesting newspaper articles, posted by Ilene on August 9, 2005, at 13:36:48
That is some waiting list! Some of the self help books are pretty good, for some problems. I tend to like them better for anxiety than depression, but maybe I just haven't found the good ones.
How are you doing, Ilene? I haven't talked to you for a while.
Posted by Ilene on August 10, 2005, at 19:26:37
In reply to Re: 2 interesting newspaper articles » Ilene, posted by Dinah on August 10, 2005, at 16:22:03
> That is some waiting list! Some of the self help books are pretty good, for some problems. I tend to like them better for anxiety than depression, but maybe I just haven't found the good ones.
>
> How are you doing, Ilene? I haven't talked to you for a while.Here are some of the titles mentioned in the article:
"Overcoming Depression"
"The Feeling Good Handbook"
"Mind Over Mood"
"How to Stop Worrying"
"Overcoming Anger and Irritability"
"Emotional Confidence"
"The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook"The 18-month wait is the worst case scenario, I think.
I think some of the self-help books are pretty good--I thought "Feeling Good" was a real eye-opener, many years ago--but my problems seem to be more biological than anything else. It could be that anxiety is more responsive to self-talk and other self-help techniques (deep breathing, for example).
I was doing better for a while but now I'm in a slump. Not suicidal, however; tired and bored all the time, everything seems like a chore, don't see much future, blah blah blah....the typical depressive whine. However, I see a new pdoc on Friday. Maybe she will have some new ideas, although I've already gone through about a dozen meds, plus ECT.
I.
This is the end of the thread.
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