Monday, August 22, 2011
A touchy subject for many, including myself....
Here is the latest from FibroTV. Jen touches on situational depression as well as the chronic kind:
The Depression and Chronic Illness Connection
I seldom bring up the subject of depression because the misuse of the label has affected me rather adversely. I have been refused referrals to rheumatologists by primary care docs who insisted that what I really needed was a shrink because, in their words, "fibromyalgia is not a real illness". I have been denied disability benefits because I was told fibromyalgia is a mental, not physical, illness. And I have suffered permanent brain damage from anti-depressants that I was bullied into taking.
I am one of those lucky individuals who does not experience depression as a symptom of fibromyalgia, although I have had a tough time finding docs who believe that. Many insist that the two always go together. They do not.
Does that mean I have never been depressed over the past 14 years? No. But when I have been depressed, it has been the situational kind. When I realized I had to go on permanent disability, I sought the services of a licensed clinical psychologist. I insisted on talk therapy only, NO drugs. I went for a year and found it extremely helpful. I strongly urge anyone with situational depression to try talk therapy first because you might not end up needing medication for it at all.
The Depression and Chronic Illness Connection
I seldom bring up the subject of depression because the misuse of the label has affected me rather adversely. I have been refused referrals to rheumatologists by primary care docs who insisted that what I really needed was a shrink because, in their words, "fibromyalgia is not a real illness". I have been denied disability benefits because I was told fibromyalgia is a mental, not physical, illness. And I have suffered permanent brain damage from anti-depressants that I was bullied into taking.
I am one of those lucky individuals who does not experience depression as a symptom of fibromyalgia, although I have had a tough time finding docs who believe that. Many insist that the two always go together. They do not.
Does that mean I have never been depressed over the past 14 years? No. But when I have been depressed, it has been the situational kind. When I realized I had to go on permanent disability, I sought the services of a licensed clinical psychologist. I insisted on talk therapy only, NO drugs. I went for a year and found it extremely helpful. I strongly urge anyone with situational depression to try talk therapy first because you might not end up needing medication for it at all.
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