Doctors definitely do see it as a treatment, as they do medicnes. While there are views to the contrary, only incredibly brave ones would find themselves strong enough not to do anything at all in the face of a severe mental disorder.
The question is “if not medicines”, what else? With patients and their carers looking for some solution and the entire medical establishment and pharmaceutical lobby touting “medicines” as a solution, what alternative is available?
I was in an almost catatonic state and the doctors were convincing me that ECT would help. We were not sure as we had heard of some permanent damage that ECT could cause. At the same time, we wanted to get better and this treatment seemed to provide a way out.
This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. How much of mental slowing, day time drowsiness, physical lethargy, psychomotor retardation etc are because of the illness and how much because of the medicine.
As I began to improve, I stopped trying to make this distinction and focussed on battling known side effects of the medicines, such as orthostatic hypotension, dystonia, muscle stiffness, gait and balance issues, slurring of speech, hoarseness and softnesd of voice, lung fibrosis etc
I agree. There probably was a degree of extreme stress and triggering which brought on this episode of delusional thinking. Whether this could be resolved by analysing the thoughts and understanding what brought them on, I don’t know as this approach was never considered. I was put on to antipsychotic medication to suppress the thoughts and I could communicate with no therapist either.
As I mentioned in the article, I read that this approach was successfuly tried by a group of researchers in Finland.
I’m not sure that, in psychosis, (fixed beliefs), it’s easy to penetrate defenses and amend those belièfs. At least, in my case, I couldn’t find anyone to help alter my beliefs till circumstances caused me to doubt those beliefs and conclude the beliefs may have been incorrect.
In my case, I didn’t feel it was painful to be watched, more annoying, to not have the freedom to do anything without being watched. And, yes, like Steve pointed out, if one could come to one’s own conclusion about reality, that would work the best.
That’s what our hypothesis was. The seizure came a few days after I was recommended for ECT treatment by my doctors and since I improved after that, we didn’t feel the need to go for an ECT.
In my case, my psychiatrist did, on occasion, try to argue with me, to convince me that my thinking could be my imagination, but I remained firm in my false belief until I came to that conclusion myself. Most people did not contradict me, probably, more out of politeness.
Maybe you’re right. If so, good for you.
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Doctors definitely do see it as a treatment, as they do medicnes. While there are views to the contrary, only incredibly brave ones would find themselves strong enough not to do anything at all in the face of a severe mental disorder.
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The question is “if not medicines”, what else? With patients and their carers looking for some solution and the entire medical establishment and pharmaceutical lobby touting “medicines” as a solution, what alternative is available?
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Here, in India, ECT is used as a treatment of last resort, when the doctors deem fit.
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I was in an almost catatonic state and the doctors were convincing me that ECT would help. We were not sure as we had heard of some permanent damage that ECT could cause. At the same time, we wanted to get better and this treatment seemed to provide a way out.
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True!
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This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. How much of mental slowing, day time drowsiness, physical lethargy, psychomotor retardation etc are because of the illness and how much because of the medicine.
As I began to improve, I stopped trying to make this distinction and focussed on battling known side effects of the medicines, such as orthostatic hypotension, dystonia, muscle stiffness, gait and balance issues, slurring of speech, hoarseness and softnesd of voice, lung fibrosis etc
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This approach probably makes the most sense. But the question the arises in the patient’s mind is – then why am I being fed the medicines?
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I agree. There probably was a degree of extreme stress and triggering which brought on this episode of delusional thinking. Whether this could be resolved by analysing the thoughts and understanding what brought them on, I don’t know as this approach was never considered. I was put on to antipsychotic medication to suppress the thoughts and I could communicate with no therapist either.
As I mentioned in the article, I read that this approach was successfuly tried by a group of researchers in Finland.
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I’m not sure that, in psychosis, (fixed beliefs), it’s easy to penetrate defenses and amend those belièfs. At least, in my case, I couldn’t find anyone to help alter my beliefs till circumstances caused me to doubt those beliefs and conclude the beliefs may have been incorrect.
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In my case, I didn’t feel it was painful to be watched, more annoying, to not have the freedom to do anything without being watched. And, yes, like Steve pointed out, if one could come to one’s own conclusion about reality, that would work the best.
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I’m sorry I can’t understand your comment.
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Yes. In my case, self-directed reality checking helped come to the conclusion that my delusions could’ve been false.
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I had an MRI and EEG done after the seizure. Both examinations didn’t reveal any findings.
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That’s what our hypothesis was. The seizure came a few days after I was recommended for ECT treatment by my doctors and since I improved after that, we didn’t feel the need to go for an ECT.
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I agree. It’s not therapeutic. Maybe some way to provoke thinking that our thoughts may be in the realm of imagination might work better?
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In my case, my psychiatrist did, on occasion, try to argue with me, to convince me that my thinking could be my imagination, but I remained firm in my false belief until I came to that conclusion myself. Most people did not contradict me, probably, more out of politeness.
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