Is anyone cured yet?

[wallgazer1]

I have spent countless hours and many years of my life trying to overcome my mental illness. I've been in hospitals, programs, groups, therapy, etc., etc.. I have made incredible progress considering where I've been. I'm not a victim anymore. There are certain things that I have been unable to overcome, but I refuse to believe that I will never be a completely functional human. The problem has often been that I simply did not know what it was that I didn't know. If that makes any sense to anyone. I still don't know what it is that I lack.
Is there anyone out there who trully knows that they have completely conquered their depression, and can tell me how they did it?
Peace be with you,
The Wallgazer

I simply did not know what it was that I didn't know

I understand that completely and still think that is the answer.

Hugs,
MG

[Lilya]

Hi Wallgazer,

"Is there anyone out there who trully knows that they have completely conquered their depression, and can tell me how they did it?"

I don´t think my depression will ever go away. I suffer from a chemical imbalance, plus I miss my addiction highs and I´m neurotic. My illness will probably demand my life long respect, but I try to keep it down with medication, my profession in the creative arts, and abstaining from drugs and alcohol as it makes the depression worse. Plus I don´t want to loose control the way I did before.

I know of one person who seems cured. I use to work in the pshyciatric hospitals in Paris when I was in University to pay for my studies. I met some one who had struggle with his depression for decades. He got electro shocks and he hasn´t had an episode in 15 years. He started a totally new life, new career, new wife.

Best of luck to you.

Use adversity

[wallgazer1]

Thank you Lilya.
I too am an artist, though I haven't been able to produce a body of work in years. I am also in recoverey for substance abuse.
Coming back from a relapse with 11 months now. I envision myself as being more productive in life but I am often bogged down with neurosis myself. I am frustrated with my apparent inability to stay focused and productive consistently. I just don't function very well. This is getting to be intolerable for me. I hold on to the belief that the answer lies within me somewhere.

Wallgazer

[Juls]

Wallgazer,

I believe also that the answer lies within us, but I don't think the answer is a cure-all for the things that we suffer from. I am an artist too, and for whatever reason it seems many artists are plagued with neuroses. I am not as productive in life as I would like to be either.

The suffering I have been through, while not enjoyable, has given me a dimension that I would not otherwise have had. I know I will probably always have struggles with depression, but I do try to look at the overall picture of who and what I am.

I try to embrace my depression now instead of fight it, to acknowledge it as a part of myself. It makes it more tolerable for me this way.

I don't know that there is a cure, but medication has helped me.

Lilya,

Electro Convulsive (or shock) Therapy has been shown to be helpful with severely and chronically depressed people. Although I think now it's all insulin induced shock. It's not the nightmare treatment that it was back in the snakepit days of mental health.

I don't know why it is not used more, since from what I understand, it is not a dangerous treatment.

Wallgazer, I don't think you lack anything. Life is a process, and for us our depression is part of the process. We do learn, we do grow, and we do achieve.

Juls

[wallgazer1]

Thank you all for your replies. I still haven't had time to learn to use all the features of this site, but I intend to. It has been a great help to me. I will have to exit for awhile now. My children are coming tomarrow and I will be too busy to post. I will be back!

Peace be with you,
The Wallgazer

[Lilya]

Wallgazer,
Keep coming back. I wish you happy times with your children; they have wonderful life giving energy.

Juls, I have often wondered why no one uses Electro shocks anymore. I was quite young when I worked in the mental asylums. I was assigned patients in various stages of depression and the most severe cases were sent to Electro shocks and I use to accompany them, along with male nurses. It´s under anasthetique, of course. I saw miracles happen. I remember a woman who was sent to us in Paris from Province. She had been depressed, almost in a catathonic state for three decades. She was in bed all the time and had not the energy to commit suicide, although she begged us for a mercy killing. I remember her first day of electro shock. She couldn´t get out of bed and it took five men to tear her off her matress. After her first two shocks I came to work and there she was, looking out of the window and saying to me: "What a nice day." She was cured after 6 sessions and went back, full of energy, to the country.

That was truly amazing. I´m going to find some more on electro shocks.

Use adversity

[Juls]

Well,

I think it has to do with the very negative impression people have of that type of treatment. But if I were so severely depressed, and that was a treatment offered to me, I would do it in a minute.

Juls