| The patient's depression was crippling.He was in an out | | | | psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and others |
| of psychiatric hospitals and could not work let alone | | | | with specialized training. Many have also found great |
| function a normal life. All other treatments had failed | | | | help in just talking with a caring friend of relative. |
| him until neurosurgeon John Smider performed and | | | | Armand DiMele, director of the Center for |
| operation. His skull was opened exposing his brain, in | | | | Psychotherapy, observes: "The depressed person is |
| which they then placed a battery operated | | | | protecting himself by shutting down his mind and body |
| "pacemaker." This pacemaker emits a rhythmic | | | | and not allowing any stimulation. For example, when |
| electrical pulse which alleviates depression whithout | | | | someone suffers a loss such as a death, he may go |
| altering the thinking process or damaging the brain. | | | | into a depression rather than face the loss." The job of |
| The operation was a success! The patient positive | | | | the counselor is to help the sufferer to face the |
| attitude soon returned and he was able to return to | | | | feelings and anxiety that come from such a loss. |
| work. "You saved my life," he told the doctor. "Now I | | | | DiMele continues: "If the therapist sitting with him can |
| can live a normal life." | | | | really nurture him through and tell him what to |
| This man was one of many millions of americans | | | | anticipate in body sensations, then the person gradually |
| suffering from chronic depression, a disorder that | | | | realizes he can cope with the emotion, and the |
| created intense feelings of guilt, helplessness and | | | | depression lifts." |
| hoplessness. Many other symptoms of this disorder | | | | Submerged feelings, such as anger, resentment and |
| are disturbances in appetite and sleep, constant | | | | guilt, have often bred depression. For instance, a |
| fatigue, crying spells and the inability to cope with life | | | | psychologist employed by the New York State Mental |
| and derive pleasure from anything. | | | | Health Department treated a 58-year-old woman |
| Only a very slight amount of people suffering from | | | | suffering from severe depression. She felt that God |
| chronic depression require surgical treatment with a | | | | had abandoned her and that everyone was talking |
| "pacemaker." With most forms of major depression | | | | against her. As this expert of 20 years' experience |
| trained professions can help the patient. | | | | began to talk with her in a kindly way each week, he |
| What treatments are available? There are a variety. | | | | noticed that in discussions about her family she never |
| Some suggest that other methods do not work, and | | | | mentioned her mother, with whom she was now living. |
| others suggest that multiple methods work together. | | | | He probed. In time she revealed that she felt that her |
| Why is this? | | | | mother, by her neglect, was responsible for her |
| Some researchers feel that severe depressions are | | | | beloved father's recent death. Gradually the counselor |
| caused by a physical defect in the body, such as a | | | | helped her to overcome this resentment, and her |
| chemical imbalance in the brain, thusly medication such | | | | depression melted away. |
| as antidepressants are considered a viable method of | | | | Since guilt is often a major symptom of depression, |
| treatment. Others argue that the disorder results from | | | | psychologists will endeavor to eliminate it along with |
| faulty thinking and that the mind creates the imbalance | | | | the patient's feelings of worthlessness. One woman |
| and can thereby rectify it. These believe that the mind | | | | became severely depressed when her child turned |
| needs correction by "talk therapy," psychotherapy. | | | | rebellious. "I was never really a proper mother, was I?" |
| While both methods have experienced some good | | | | she cried to the psychiatrist. "That's why she's gone |
| results, neither of them has the full answer. | | | | wrong." The doctor helped her to see all the good she |
| Mind and Body Involved | | | | had done for the child. The guilt then vanished-and so |
| The relationship between the mind and the body is a | | | | did her depression. |
| complex relationship because of the close interplay | | | | However, the treatment of most cases is |
| between the mind and body. | | | | unsuccessful, according to Dr. Ronald Fieve. He reports |
| Each and every patient is different and mental | | | | in his book Moodswing-The Third Revolution in |
| disorders can be very complex. Only a trained doctor | | | | Psychiatry that not infrequently, after weeks, months |
| can make recommendations as to which approach is | | | | and years of working with a moderate or severe |
| best for the patient. It is recognized that within every | | | | depressive, helping him to analyze his behavior, "very |
| field of treatment there are often a wide range of | | | | little happened." |
| practitioners. For example in psychotherapy there are | | | | Authorities in the field differ as to intensive |
| over 130 different reported approaches. | | | | psychotherapy's effectiveness. One of the reasons |
| Talk Out Depression | | | | for this is that many doctors feel that the chemical |
| When one is sufffering from major depression, | | | | imbalance present in severe moodswings cannot |
| psychotherapy or "talk therapy" is one recommended | | | | always be corrected by psychotherapy. They |
| approach. Since a depressed person usually has | | | | advocate the use of . . . |
| greatly disturbed ideas, many have been aided by their | | | | For a continuation of this article please visit our website |
| talking to a therapist. Such professionals may include | | | | HelpingDepression. |