Two Readers Comment

A reader comments on yesterday's post on how CBT is rapidly gaining acceptance in the UK while hardly seeing the light of day in its country of birth (um, that'd be the US):

"I am a huge fan of CBT---it has basically taught me how to have a full life (though i do take lithium and it keeps major episodes at bay, and also, I don't believe that CBT alone would prevent future episodes, not for me anyhow). I agree that big pharma would lose out if CBT was practiced as much as it should. But I guess I would just add that CBT takes work, and courage, and commitment and time---and it doesn't offer immediate gratification. I guess I'm saying something somewhat harsh, which is that from my experiences, I've encountered many people in the face of mental illness who don't want to (or can't?)commit to a therapy that requires so much of them. They want a pill. CBT is all about changing your own behavior and cognitions, and it is amazing, but there is nothing passive about it."

Some days, I wonder if I didn't do CBT on myself somehow, because I sure don't feel like "the loser in the dream" to quote one of Beck's metaphors. I'm still a loser of course, but that's another story.

And another read comments in response to a recent post in which I slagged on the rhetoric being used to describe Abilify as a "maintenance" drug based upon 6-week trials:

I almost hate to offer contrary information to you since I so agree with what you write. But in the interests of more information I'll mention that as of May I've been taking 10mg of Abilify since Feb of 2004. I was given it in Providence after I went in for a cutting incident and a few months afterwards I noticed I was feeling "better". I hate to say that, cause it surely jinxes my prognosis. But not this time . I'm still taking Abilify and I still think it's helping me.

Not that I'm stable , or not cuttting or not suicidally depressed, and a bit too hypomanic now and then but still a bit "better". So maybe there are a few of us who can benefit from maintenance therapy with Abilify. Maybe. I'm not a great objective model since I'm still so out of it so much but subjectively I have to say something good is going on. The only other psych med I take is klonipin tho I also take cogentin for the akathesia the Abilify causes in my legs and hands. (yes there are side effects, but mostly that one). Just for context - over the years I've been on at least a couple dozen meds and Abiify is the first to make me feel it's actually helping me.

Just so you know I've been dx'd since nov 1995 with BPl, BPll, BP nos, and schizoaffetive disorder as well as anxiety, panic, add/adhd and a few others like sad and personality disorders. Clearly I believe in the concept of the bipolar spectrum since I seem to flow back and forth on it constantly. Oh yeah, also ultradian rapidcycling and frequent mixed states are in there too. And chronic pain (oxycontin), and migraines (imitrex), and....

OK, too much information. Sorry. I just wanted to make the point about Abilify.

Thanks for your words, and the space to reply with mine.

Not a problem. I'm pleased you've found something that helps you.

On another front, I probably won't post much until Tuesday. I have over-done it with writing this month and need a break. On the other hand, I'll probably be back here in 2 days. Have a nice holiday.