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CBT / "Talking therapies" - any experience? V.s. SSRIs?

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graham1984
graham1984

Has anyone any experience of comparing CBT/"talking therapies" with SSRIs?

I was on SSRIs for over a year until last spring. I've gradually had less and less energy since, and from this summer was aware i was becoming very irritable at work. Feelings of life being worthless suddenly hit me like a wave again a couple of weekends ago - I find myself thinking about swerving into the path of lorries while driving.. I finally managed to get back to the GP and he is suggesting that I should self-refer to a talking therapy service rather than starting antidepressants.

I'm doubtful that talking therapy will help me - the problems behind my depression aren't changable and I've spent many hours, and £ of my own in psychotherapy, counselling, and life coaching over the years: I just don't see how talking about these things again will help me. To me pills seem the only option.

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest graham1984

    Posted

    Hi Graham....Sorry to hear you've been having a difficult time.I've had lots of therapies too and found them very helpful.I feel that therapy can be extremely beneficial alongside medication.Medication on its own.....That's a big ask!If only a pill could do that,it would be brilliant.I do think anti depressants can be useful,I am on a course myself..But perhaps consider both together?All the best to you.Sally
  • krollette66
    krollette66 graham1984

    Posted

    Hi Graham,

    I too have been on the antidepressants you mentioned have had similar side effects to you.

    I too sought out many types of therapy to help myself the majority of It funded by me.

    I have finally found something that Works for me.

    Its called DBT or mindfullness.

    There is No magic bullet where Depression is concerned but this Has helped me when the going gets tough.

    Maybe It could help you too?

    Jo

  • jptown
    jptown graham1984

    Posted

    I don't know what SSRI's are but I do know one thing that helped me with depression and that was changing my diet and taking  a top quality B COMPLEX vitamin supplement (often referred to as the Happy Vitamin), and top quality vitamin/mineral supplemes (no store brands and junk brands...best to get one from a naturopathic md  . I'm not allowed to mention the brand I use here . you can send me a message) Eat a clean diet...NO FAST FOODS, no junk foods.  Cut down drastically sugar consumption, especially high fructose corn syrup-VERY TOXIC to the body. Eat ORGANIC meats, eggs, veggies, fruits...I'm very serious about this...when the body gets healthy and feels better, the mind does too.

    Antidepressant pills DO NOT help the body nor the mind get healthier. Besides one of the listed side effects is suicidal thoughts...who needs THAT!

    I started a new job....helping others....teaching kids. It's amazing how working with others to HELP THEM gets our focus OFF of ourselves.

    I also had to change my occupation and my environment.

    I had to get away from negative people.

    Self-talk is another big one...not to be so hard on ourselves by telling ourselves how bad we are. Like, if I do something really stupid, instead of telling myself what a twit I am (my first tendency), I say, ok, maybe that was stupid but NEXT TIME I will do it right. If we don't have anyone else out there cheering us on (I don't have anyone to cheer me on after my mom died), then we have to become our own cheerleader, our own coach. Lou Tice was an amazing man for helping people to coach themselves to much better thinking and much better lives. You can find info about him and his teachings on the internet.

    Never give up....you can ALWAYS make changes for a better life. It just takes that first step to get the ball rolling. Believe me I've been there and it works!

    I hope this helps!

     

  • syl15252
    syl15252 graham1984

    Posted

    Hi Graham.

    Depression is different in different people so if somebody tells you that this works and that's it, well, that't may not be the case for you. If you already came to terms with your past and understand the dynamics of it and how it affects you than talk therapy may be a bit of a waste of your time. However, ask yourself do you know enough coping techniques that CBT or mindfulness can offer? If not, you can ask your therapist to be practical and focus on those rather than drilling into your past (or whatever you feel has been done already). For me, personally, after years of talk therapy some therapists send me away saying they don't know what can they offer as everything anyone could do was already done in previous therapies. I know I need a pill and everybody by now agrees on that. Of course, the challenge is to find the right one and this is what I am still struggling with (experimenting with drug number 2), because I believe we should not feel numbed or suffer from number of side effects just to feel less depressed. Meanwhile, coping techniques learnt at talk therapies are very helpful to me.

    If you do decide to go for a talk therapy- be firm about your needs and expectations. Otherwise, ask for different medication and always research it- there are some that work perfectly fine for years before they loose effectiveness. It is better to be aware what can you expect.

     

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