Is it possible to learn to live well using an acceptance approach to depression rather than the strategy of trying to suppress or avoid it? That’s the question I’ve been exploring. Most of the treatments for depression I’ve used have been based on avoidance. Reduce stress, overcome depression, control anxiety, conquer anger. Get rid of […]
treatment
Ending Antidepressant Treatment
After about 18 years of non-stop, mostly ineffective antidepressant treatment, I’ve brought this long experiment to an end. I had been wearing Emsam patches for the past six years, but I’ve been fairly sure for some time that they had stopped working. It seems I was right. Getting off the drug has made no difference […]
13 Ways of Defining Depression
With all the conflict about defining depression, it’s not surprising if you’re confused about what it is, where it comes from and how best to treat it. There may not be much disagreement or confusion about what it does to you. But there is a difference of opinion about whether those impacts are a good […]
The Placebo Effect Helps the Mind Heal Depression
How is it that the mind can heal depression through the placebo effect? Placebo is a meaningless treatment that is presented as the real thing, but it can be almost as effective as antidepressants that have been on the market for years. I can’t know for sure, but I suspect that my brief recovery after […]
Tom Wootton and the Depression Advantage
Tom Wootton says that a few years ago he would have screamed if anyone had said there was an advantage to depression. So, to get a bit in your face, he named his book, The Depression Advantage. And that book came after The Bipolar Advantage. I didn’t scream when I saw those titles. As I […]
John’s Recovery Story
A recovery story is a messy thing. It has dozens of beginnings and no final ending. Most of the conflict and drama is internal, and there’s a lot more inaction than action. The lead character hides in the shadows much of the time, so you can’t even see what’s going on. I joined up with […]
