Posted by SLS on October 2, 2011, at 5:03:41
In reply to A retrospective on my MI and treatment, posted by zonked on October 1, 2011, at 22:11:20
Hi Zonked.
> The reason I could even look for work at all, and pursue this with everything I have, is because treatment, ultimately, has worked.
Woohoo!
How long did it take for you to notice an improvement after beginning testosterone treatment?
> One, your support (I'm not naming names so as not to leave anyone else) has helped me endure while waiting, playing around with meds and dosages, and the ups and downs.Although I have busted the chops of this website's owner and facilitator more recently, I have no words sufficient to repay him for having made Psycho-Babble such a safe and supportive place. I hope he continues to maintain it.
> Now I am getting used to the fact that "normal" life has its ups and downs.
Yup.
> I can usually attribute the downs to external events now, not just down all the time for no reason, and am re-integrating myself into society - slowly.
Yes, it is a slow process. I have to keep that in mind if I should continue to improve from treatement. Even snails get to where they want to go.
> This is harder than waiting for treatment to work because that is *largely* a passive (but not effortless) pursuit. Remembering that everyone has ups and downs, and not letting the downs freeze me - that has been very hard.
Have you had any "downs" while your depression has lifted? Are you able to tell the difference between the way the two types of depression feel? During my longest period of remission, I experienced a couple of minor depressions due to external events. I could feel that the biological depression remained in remission, even though there is some overlap in features. I actually enjoyed doing the work necessary to process the situational reactive depression. It was within my power to work through this depression and watch it dissolve. Nice.
> I've had many people tell me I'm brilliant.
You are.
> I guess my on-paper IQ is higher than average (although I think there's been some reversible atrophy due to MDD)...
Yes. I feel the same way. I think MDD and BD depression beats the heck out of one's cognitive abilities such that functional IQ is reduced.
Your post demonstrates your recovery of mental health and the pursuit of personal growth. I admire the way you put things into perspective. Your hard work has paid off.
May God preserve your health and positive attitude.
Stay well.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:998521
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110925/msgs/998545.html