Living with mental illness must be a really tough thing for people espeically since it’s such a controversial subject.

Lifecruiser: Thanks Kailani :-) Yes, it really is tough for them, I really don’t envy them.

Not to speak poorly of those who have mental disorders but I just don’t understand the cycle of “I feel better, so I am going to quit my meds. Even though I became very ill the last time, I know thi time will be different.” Because of this, and her behaviour after she quits her meds, me and one of my brothers no longer talk to her anymore. She refuses to take responsiblity, and all her problems are everyone elses fault… she has told us it’s our fault she is “crazy”, and/or has had a relapse.

Sorry about the long comment :O) I think your list was very informative. I haven’t read much of your blog YET, but you seem like a good hearted person. Happy TT, and thanks for visiting my blog! :-)))

Lifecruiser: No need for an apology for long comments over here :-) Wow, that sounds like you had a very tough childhood. That is a big worry and problem to solve, to get them to keep take their medications. The health care instances don’t seem to have any solution of that yet. In some cases they go to control visits and they keep track of their medicines and I have heard of home services, but that is very difficult since the one with the mental illness very often deny the illness.

*sending you some extra strength*

Lifecruiser: Thanks Janet. I think. It’s great to bring it forward in the open. I hope that more people will!

I also heartily applaud your TT. Just a few words about your post and my experience. My ex-wife was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, a severely disabling illness. Characteristics of BPD are severe depression, self-mutilation, and suicide attempts. BPD is so severe that experts estimate that somewhere between 10 and 15% of all people diagnosed with BPD will successfully commit suicide within 5 years.

My ex has went through countless combinations of drugs trying to find something that would make her feel better. However, the most successful treatment of BPD is a type of therapy called Dialetical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), which re-teaches the patient life skills that you and I may take for granted. Medication is viewed as a stop-gap measure only, never meant to cure BPD.

My ex was so depressed and suicidal that doctors at one point were considering ECT. Here in the states, ECT is viewed only as a last resort, and not a mainstream approach to curing certain types of severe illness. With BPD reporting a mortality rate of 15%, ECT may be viewed as the only option when the patient’s life is in grave danger. As you said, the side effects of ECT are widely documented, and (I believe) is a horrible thing to endure. I wish I had an easy answer as to whether it beats death or not.

Thanks again for your post. And yes, I have visited (and linked to) Brony’s post on her site.

Lifecruiser: Thanks Bubba. I deeply appreciate that you’re sharing these experiences with us, with so much details. Especially that about DBT, it sounds very promising :-)

Oh, and I’m sorry if I gave the impression that I would just give ECT to anyone - it’s patients with deep depressions (we’re talking persons who won’t get up and won’t eat or drink) or who for other reasons haven’t responded to other therapies. We don’t take the side effects lightly.

We work a lot with our patients to find out what the “early signs” are just for them - so that if they get another depression/mania/whatnot, they will be able to come in early, so that they might not need meds or ECT. We have our nurses do lectures in schools, so that as many teenagers, teachers and parents can know the early signs for depression, psychosis, and other problems. It’s great to see that our work shifts more and more in that direction - that we can be there before “the damage is done”.

Lifecruiser: That early signs work is something we never have heard of, sadly enough. I hope it will spread more :-)

Lifecruiser: Thank you zingtrial. It’s just that “delays in treatment may lead to a slower and less complete recovery” that I detest so much, I think it could be discovered and treatened much earlier than most cases do today and that’s not acceptable.

Lifecruiser: Yes, I know. I’m glad that they have come somewhere, but I still don’t think it’s enough. there is too much suffering out there.

Lifecruiser: Hm, cigarette smoking you say? I can’t confirm any experience of that since the person I know with it is adopted.

I think it’s important to get the subject of mental illness out in the open. So many people still have negative views about it and think that you not only shouldn’t talk about it but that you are weak to admit that you need help or need medication or therapy. Many people think you’re either “damaged”, “stupid”, or should just “suck it up”.

I know I’ve tried many times to explain how my brain works to my father and several friends and while some get the malfunction, others have told me “Well the rest of the world functions fine so why can’t you?”

It’s posts like this one and Brony’s blogs that give me hope. I try to be honest myself at my blog too and write about my therapy and my illness. More people who write about our lives and conditions and support each other online and find each other means more people will eventually understand, I think.

Lifecruiser: Well, it’s that ashame and hiding fact that may have contributed to sweep this kind of illnessess under the carpet for so long. Out in the open with it, no fuss any longer. It must have been awful for you, to not be able to mention it or talk about it freely. I hate that thought!

I suppose a contributing factor may be that people are soooo afraid of mental illness that they prefer to not acknowledge that it exists. And that’s just plain foolish, since it’s the absolutely opposite that would be the best to not be afraid of it. the more we know, the more success in researches, the less to be afraid of.

Just as many other diseases, some mental ones can be cured with pills. Some can’t. I’ve seen both happen.

And yes, I would choose ECT as a treatment for myself. In fact, there is a study that shows most doctors would. I have had a depression, so I have thought about it in depth. (And I was helped by therapy that time, by the way.)

Lifecruiser: As I accept yours :-) As in everything, there is two sides. I’m glad you had some good therapy - I would love to know where, because there is a problem getting it around here.

I still think that the side effects are too severe to be ignored. I would never agree to this kind of treatment for my self or any person dear to me. There simply must be other ways to go - especially in an earlier stage!