Computer-Aided Psychotherapy

[Scott]

Originally Posted by PepsiChic

Fb believes i may be suffering from Psychotic Depression, as does the doctor i think, hence why he wants me to go and have an assessment.

its one of the forms of depression that isnt heard of much, its almost like Schizophrenia but the difference is you know that the delusions and and hallucinations arent real, no matter how scary they might seem.

Psychotic Depression

I read the article in the link and found it very interesting as it describes Andrew very accurately )even the medications he's on). I hesitate to play the amature psychiatrist, and am reluctant to diagnose anything because I want the pro's to diagnose him accurately (i.e. and not suspect they're tring to appease me).

But I found the Treatment and Prognosis Encouraging:

Treatment for psychotic depression requires a longer hospital stay and close follow-up by a mental health professional. Combinations of tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotic medications have been most effective in easing symptoms. The addition of lithium to this combination can be beneficial for those with bipolar disorder. Electroconvulsive therapy is very effective for this condition, but it is generally a second line treatment.
Researchers are also studying the effectiveness of RU-486 (the "abortion pill" and "emergency contraceptive"), which is said to dramatically relieve psychotic depression.
Prognosis

Treatment is very effective for psychotic depression and people are able to recover, usually within a year, but continual medical follow-up may be necessary. Generally, the depressive symptoms have a much higher rate of recurrence than the psychotic symptoms. It is important, however, that a person experiencing these symptoms be properly diagnosed because treatment is different than for other major depressive illnesses and risk of suicide is greater

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[PepsiChic]

Originally Posted by Scott

I read the article in the link and found it very interesting as it describes Andrew very accurately )even the medications he's on). I hesitate to play the amature psychiatrist, and am reluctant to diagnose anything because I want the pro's to diagnose him accurately (i.e. and not suspect they're tring to appease me).

But I found the Treatment and Prognosis Encouraging:

Its possibly something you could however nudge the doctors into considering, people dont always think outside the box when dealing with someone with depression.

there is infact many many types of depression, and Psychotic is just one of them, its a common one but just often under looked.

im glad you found the article useful, im going to be trying to do lots of updating on my website with as much information as possible about it along with many other things to do with depression.

sometimes people try to hard to find and the answer to a problem, when its right there in their face the whole time.

ps. sometimes its the people that love you that realize the little things that help the diagnosis being made.

[Meanon]

It's not uncommon for severe mental illness to peak into psychosis and it usually settles right back down again in time. From what I recall, pepsi, your symptoms fit the diagnosis very well. It's not a personality disorder like schizophrenia and the prognosis is much better. I'm so glad you got over the fear factor sufficiently to see the Doctor and that they seem to have sorted out what's happening. That's a huge step forward. Well done!

[Meanon]

Don't know how you'd begin to deal with all of that on top of being ill at the same time, IvyRose. No wonder you are reluctant to try again.

[PepsiChic]

Originally Posted by Meanon

It's not uncommon for severe mental illness to peak into psychosis and it usually settles right back down again in time. From what I recall, pepsi, your symptoms fit the diagnosis very well. It's not a personality disorder like schizophrenia and the prognosis is much better. I'm so glad you got over the fear factor sufficiently to see the Doctor and that they seem to have sorted out what's happening. That's a huge step forward. Well done!

thankyou *hugs*

still im very nervous about Thursday to see the psychiatrist. i really dont want to go still. i know i managed to see the doctor, but this just seems that bit harder :/

[Fireblade]

Actually psychotic depression is very similiar to schitzophrenia, the main difference being psychotic depression is entirely cureable and sufferers of psychotic depression know that their delusions aren't real, whereas schitzophrenics can't differentiate between reality and their hallucinations. The symptoms of the two diseases are nearly exact, schitzophrenia obviously still being the worse of the two.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by PepsiChic

thankyou *hugs*

still im very nervous about Thursday to see the psychiatrist. i really dont want to go still. i know i managed to see the doctor, but this just seems that bit harder :/

Ivy, I don't want to pry, but all this sounds VERY FAMILIAR to me: What happened last week?

Also, I want to thank you and FB again for the link to the article regarding Psychotic Depression. I've emailed the link to Andrew's hospital with my note that I strongly feel this could be an accurate diagnosis of his condition. It seems that if RU468 can be used, it has had astoundingly good results that could be of tremendous benefits to my son. If this proves true, than your post and this discussion board will have been the greatest benefit to my family that anything on the WWW has ever provided.

[PepsiChic]

Originally Posted by Scott

Ivy, I don't want to pry, but all this sounds VERY FAMILIAR to me: What happened last week?

Also, I want to thank you and FB again for the link to the article regarding Psychotic Depression. I've emailed the link to Andrew's hospital with my note that I strongly feel this could be an accurate diagnosis of his condition. It seems that if RU468 can be used, it has had astoundingly good results that could be of tremendous benefits to my son. If this proves true, than your post and this discussion board will have been the greatest benefit to my family that anything on the WWW has ever provided.

i think you might mean me not ivy with regards to the quotes.

If so, i did go to the appointment, was a complete nervous wreck but managed to hod myself together till i got home, then promptly locked my self in my room using my wardrobe as a barricade, and collapsed under my bed sheets and remained "in hiding" for majority of the day.

i felt incredibly vulnerable talking to the psychiatrists about things. i didnt feel comfortable no matter how hard they tried, and when they left the room to talk to another psychiatrist for a 3rd opinion i could them whispering and it set me on edge at the end.

they have upped my medication, so im on 40mg Citralopram and given me another 2 weeks off work, on top that i have to go back for another session/assessment with the Psychosis psychiatrist, but they suggest psychotic depression without me uttering a word.

its left me pretty exhausted, the higher dosage of anti-depressant has me quite drowsy 24/7 but apparently i should get used to it and it stop doing that...

if the sessions with the psychosis psychiatrist prove fruitful they give me the correct medication and everything can be fine and dandy again.

and no need to thank me at all. if your gonna thank anyone thank Fb, his love and support for me while im going through this has been the greatest medication i could ever need. he spend ages researching it all to find out what im going through and what he can do to help, including give me a push to see the right people. Psychotic depression is one of the things he came across in his researching and the symptoms matched perfectly.

i just want to say well done to you for passing that information on to the hospital. it is possible it was overlooked. maybe not. but i hope whatever they decide and what ever illness it is, it gets sorted out soon for andrew and your family.

i know what hes going thru. and it can be hell, and fb knows what its like to love someone going thru it all. so be assured you have our love and support 110%

and dont hesitate to pm either of us if you have questions or want to chat about it.

[Meanon]

Originally Posted by Scott

I've emailed the link to Andrew's hospital with my note that I strongly feel this could be an accurate diagnosis of his condition. It seems that if RU468 can be used, it has had astoundingly good results that could be of tremendous benefits to my son. If this proves true, than your post and this discussion board will have been the greatest benefit to my family that anything on the WWW has ever provided.

Just thought you should be aware that psychotic depression falls within the classification of mood disorder, Scott. I think you said Andrew had been given that diagnosis. This summary covers the other mood disorders and talks about some of the difficulties of diagnosis in that age group: Log In Problems.

I hope that they are able to make a more specific diagnosis soon and that it makes a difference to the effectiveness of his treatment.

Originally Posted by PepsiChic

i did go to the appointment, was a complete nervous wreck but managed to hod myself together till i got home, then promptly locked my self in my room using my wardrobe as a barricade, and collapsed under my bed sheets and remained "in hiding" for majority of the day.

i felt incredibly vulnerable talking to the psychiatrists about things. i didnt feel comfortable no matter how hard they tried, and when they left the room to talk to another psychiatrist for a 3rd opinion i could them whispering and it set me on edge at the end.

they have upped my medication, so im on 40mg Citralopram and given me another 2 weeks off work, on top that i have to go back for another session/assessment with the Psychosis psychiatrist, but they suggest psychotic depression without me uttering a word.

its left me pretty exhausted, the higher dosage of anti-depressant has me quite drowsy 24/7 but apparently i should get used to it and it stop doing that...

if the sessions with the psychosis psychiatrist prove fruitful they give me the correct medication and everything can be fine and dandy again.

Well done pepsi and fb!!!!
Sorry to hear you found it so hard and are feeling so tired now. I hope the next session is a bit easier for you.

[Meanon]

I'll try and fix that link

[Meanon]

Must be because it's a professional journal, I can see it but not link to it. I'll PM you the relevant extract, Scott

[Scott]

Originally Posted by PepsiChic

i just want to say well done to you for passing that information on to the hospital. it is possible it was overlooked. maybe not. but i hope whatever they decide and what ever illness it is, it gets sorted out soon for andrew and your family.

i know what hes going thru. and it can be hell, and fb knows what its like to love someone going thru it all. so be assured you have our love and support 110%

and dont hesitate to pm either of us if you have questions or want to chat about it.

Thanks to all. Interesting fact I learned to day during our Family Social Worker's visit (Andrew is in her custody); The County had contracted out a Psychiatrist to Diagnose Andrew. This struck me a particularly odd, since he was at a psychiatric hospital: Didn't they have people on staff that had ALREADY begun to diagnose? NO!

Apparently psychiatric care is so specialized that not only are there adolescent psychiatrists, but this group is further subdivided into psychiatrists that diagnose and those that treat the illnesses.

Originally Posted by Meanon