Posted by hyperfocus on February 7, 2013, at 9:42:33
In reply to Re: PTSD treatment » hyperfocus, posted by ChicagoKat on February 4, 2013, at 15:41:27
I'm not against Ritalin definitely. I'm as pragmatic as anyone as far as meds are concerned, and if a med can alleviate pain and give a person hope then it should be used. It's a well-established principle that people suffering severe anxiety cannot establish psychological dependence on benzos for instance, and I imagine the same might be true of severe depression and dopamine drugs. I know benzos literally saved me and gave me hope that there was treatment for my severe anxiety. It's just that dissociation and PTSD satisfies every checklist for severe depression and severe anxiety but it's something that requires a specific mode of treatment. Many, many survivors of trauma and abuse struggle for years unsuccessfully trying to treat severe depression and anxiety, with different and often conflicting diagnoses from psychiatrists, till they uncover the core issues.
If you're not responding to ADs it could be a sign that depression is not the major issue for you. Also depression is almost always co-morbid with ADD, and in the converse case, it seems to be epidemic among people on Babble for example. ADD can be compensated for when are well but depression and and anxiety and dissociation especially can quickly destroy this ability to compensate. ADD robs us of the ability to find fulfillment in work or hobbies or interests or relaxation or even just spending time with our family and greatly magnifies the pain and suffering and hopelessness of mental illness, but it also requires specific targeted treatment. I am wondering if your response to Ritalin has more to do with its ability to improve control of your executive cognitive functions and attention.
Could you list three or four things you do (not feel) when you respond to Ritalin; like for instance:
1. I do not ruminate as much on my past
2. I can work better and do more routine and boring tasks
3. I can focus more on and get enjoyment from activities that I like
4. I can spend more time with and take care of my family.
When you have multiple conditions it is very hard to find a drug combo that can address everything. If you could find a drug that could work on some of the things you list, you could be equipped to deal with other issues while tolerating high levels of depression and anxiety that might even be exacerbated by your chosen med. The mind is an extremely complex thing -- everything we do is interconnected with how we feel and what we remember. PTSD is a very complex condition that takes a long-term strategy to recover from. However in spite of everything we still maintain control of our mind and the ability to construct a framework that can get us better.
> Hi hyperfocus,
>
> Thank you for your very informative post and all your good advice.
>
> I do take Atenolol, but I did not realize it can increase your risk for type II diabetes, which now concerns me. I'm glad it helps your anxiety, but it does not seem to have that effect on me.
>
> As far as Ritalin goes, that's a toughie. My pdoc and I have tried literally everything, except for a few TCAs. We've found that Ritalin is the *only* thing that does anything at all to relieve my severe depression. I'd give it up in a heartbeat though, if you knew of any non-traditional agents that might help. But until I can find something else that can help and does not have intolerable side effects, I just have to stay on Ritalin. Otherwise, I fall into the abyss and become morbidly depressed and suicidal. It's a conundrum.
> Thanks again for your post; it is much appreciated.
> Kat
C-PTSD: social phobia, major depression, dissociation. 20 yrs duration.
Asperger's Syndrome.
Currently: 150mg amitriptyline single dose at night. 75mg Lyrica occasionally.
Significantly improving.
poster:hyperfocus
thread:1036953
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130205/msgs/1037584.html