Posted by SLS on February 2, 2006, at 8:44:53
In reply to is there a time to give up?, posted by reese7194 on January 31, 2006, at 17:48:19
Is there a time to give up?
That's a very personal question to have answered. I would not presume to try to do so on someone else's behalf.
Some illnesses are terminal and very painful. Some illnesses, while not terminal, are chronic and very painful such that existing drugs do not ameliorate it. I guess I could conjure a bunch of scenarios for which reaching a decision to "give up" is understandable and perhaps justified.
Sometimes, it helps to "give up" temporarily. It allows for the purging of some of the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that pervade one's thoughts as they battle with depression unsuccessfully. The paradox, however, is that it is the nature of the chemistry of depression that one experience helplessness and hopelessness in the face of opportunities to glean empowerment and hopefullness.
I am always told that there are new drugs in development. Unfortunately, the people who say these things cannot tell me how soon I will be able to try them.
In the meantime, I am trying to use all of the tools I have acquired over the years to defend myself against the unrelenting demon of depression. With depression, how one feels changes the way one thinks. However, within limits, one can change the way one feels by changing the way they think. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be a powerful tool to have at one's disposal to offset some of the negative "automatic thoughts" that have become part of one's psychology as a result of the damage done by depression. Afterall, depression is a liar.
Now the question becomes, "If depression can affect the way one thinks, can a depressed person truly be considered of sound mind such that they are able to make the decision to 'give up'?"
Catch-22? It sure is. I am an advocate of autoeuthanasia, but it is difficult to evaluate the copus mentus of a severely depressed person.
I guess what I would offer you is the acknowledgment that you have a right to give up, even if only for a little while. You have a right to your feelings, and I am sure they are well justified given your weariness of suffering and tireless searching for relief.
I would encourage you to stick around for the long-term, though. There are bound to be combinations of medications that you have yet to try. There are new drugs in development :-). In the meantime, perhaps CBT can offer you some techniques to influence your thoughts to become less negative. It might be constructive to think of a timeline that places treatment success a few years down the road rather than being only a few weeks away. Maybe not. What works for one person in terms of a mentality may not work for another - just like drugs.
I vote that you 'give up' temporarily and cry and purge yourself of pain and frustration. Be willing to experience the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that are part of the condition and circumstance that you currently face. Renewed, you can then pick up and continue your journey.
Good luck.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:604905
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060129/msgs/605417.html