Julie A's Blog

More than just rehab

brookintervention — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:49:56 +0000

Today I heard someone make the comment that they “never heard of someone in rehab for depression.” Dr. Rand’s program at Bay Recovery is more than just “rehab”. Yes, a lot of people here are in for drug rehabilitation, but this program is so much more. Dr. Rand is a specialist in pain management, duel diagnosis, and sleep disorders, as well as, drug rehabilitation. People in this treatment program are here for many reasons. I am here as a duel diagnosis patient. I have severe depression and also have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I also have sleep apnea, where it is hard for me to breath while I sleep. There are others here at Bay Recovery who are also here to treat their mental disorders. People who are here like me also need time to treat themselves. We stay here to get the right medications and therapy , as well as, group therapy where we are taught better ways to manage our lives. My time here at Bay Recovery has been almost eight months. I will be here until I have surgery to open up my throat so I can breath when I sleep. Dr. Rand will help me manage my pain after the surgery and help me get through the surgery itself. Bay Recovery has many people who stay here for pain management. Dr. Rand is helpful to a lot of patients and our issues. He is very insightful and knows so many ways to help all different types of patients. I love it here at Bay, I have changed in so many ways since I have been here. For instance, I am no longer depressed. I can’t believe I have been depressed for most of my life and in less than eight months Dr. Rand and my therapist have changed my life. Bay Recovery and Dr. Rand truly are life savers. Until next time…. God Bless.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

What are ECT treatments like

brookintervention — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:41:53 +0000

When I get ECT my day starts with going in and getting my vitals taken. After that I go into the treatment room where I talk to my doctor and update him about how I’m doing with my depression and he decides whether I need to get more ECT again within the week. I am then put to sleep and they give my ECT treatment. The treatment consists of them giving me shock therapy , where I am made to have a seizure and this helps me to change my brain chemistry. This helps me to start to feel better and be less depressed. I am then asleep for about ten more minutes before I wake up and am allowed to leave.The ECT doesn’t hurt, and I don’t have any problems as I’m waking up. After my treatments I am not allowed to drive. When I get a few treatments in a row then I have problems with my memory. Quite often I forget about the past and don’t remember quite a few things that have happened recently. My friends and family are always asking me if I remember things that have happened in the last few months and I usually don’t. It’s hard not remembering things because when people ask me about things and I don’t remember them, it’s embarrassing. I also don’t remember what people talk to me about right before my treatment, a lot of short term memory is what I have issues with. Memory problems are the worst side effects that I have after my ECT. This is the best way I can think of to explain ECT. I have had about 30 treatments so far and my depression has gotten so much better. I am a lot happier than I used to be, and the better I get the farther apart I have my treatments. Right now I have my treatment once every other week. If you have any questions about ECT treatments feel free to contact me and I will get back to you as soon as possible, Thanks for reading, God Bless, Julie A

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

My bad day

brookintervention — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:02:17 +0000

Hi, Julie again. Writing a little update about my day. Today has been a bad
 day.  I haven't been feeling well all day.  Even though I have been
feeling a lot better lately, today just wasn't my day. The depression is
creeping up on me again.  I have been teary eyed and crying all day.   I have also
been isolating myself from my friends, not talking to them very  much. Today
was such a dreary day... I don't even know what has caused my day to  be so
bad.  It could be that I'm far away from home and miss my family and  my
dog. It could be that today was cold and rainy, or it's because I haven't
been feeling well lately. I found out recently that I'm very anemic.  This  has
caused me to be run down and tired.  I hate when I'm sick because quite
often it affects me like this. My friend kept asking me today what was wrong
and  I couldn't answer her because I didn't know what one of this things was
bothering me.  Depression is like that.  It's hard to figure out what  is
causing me to be so down in the dumps. I have no answers and therefore can't
help myself. When I can't help myself, it makes me even more sad and more
teary  eyed.  I call my mom a lot trying to get answers from her, hoping she
can  turn my day around. Some days she can, other days I'm not so lucky.
This is why  I hate depression and why I came to get help. The less days like
this the  better.  Hopefully tomorrow, the sun will be shining and my mood
will  change.  I hope so because I don't want  my bad mood to affect those
around me.  Until next time, God Bless.

www.bayrecovery.com
www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Depression takes time to heal

brookintervention — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:56:26 +0000

It's me , Julie, again.  A lot of you might want to know more about  what
it was like to be depressed.  It was really hard. I spent a lot of  days just
sitting in my house feeling sorry for myself and not understanding why  I
was so sad. I didn't answer the phone and door.  I kept to myself, and I
made myself so lonely.  I didn't understand why I couldn't make myself  happy.
Didn't understand why no matter what I did to make myself feel  better I
just felt worse instead.  Depression made me sick all the time,  physically
and mentally ill. I felt like I always had the flu. I was run down  and
physically felt sore all over.  People were always commenting that I  "shouldn't
be depressed" because I had everything I needed and wanted. Even  Doctors
would tell me "not to be depressed", like I could just turn it off and  on like
a switch.  Depression is not a disease that you can just flip a  switch and
feel all better.  Often times nothing makes  you feel  better and you just
get more and more depressed.  I got so depressed that I  cried at the drop
of a hat.  I had a hard time actually talking to people.  It got to the point
that I didn't have anyone to talk to and started of thinking  of different
ways where I could just end the sadness, end my life.  The  darkness
consumed me and I could think of nothing else, but my suicidal  thoughts.  I had no
hope, no reason to think that my life would change, I  lived like this for
over 7 years until I found Bay Recovery. Now I have changed  and things are
different. No it didn't change with the flip of a switch. I had  to put a
lot of hard  work into it, and I had help from Dr. Rand.  But  I am feeling
better. If you want to know what I had to do to feel  better respond to my
blog and I will be happy to write you back. God  Bless  Julie A

www.bayrecovery.com
www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

ECT Treatments

brookintervention — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:31:56 +0000

Hey everyone, it’s Julie again. I am still doing well. Dr. Rand has me getting ECT (electroconvulsive therapy ) now. It has really made a big difference with my depression. I was really scared about the ECT, at first, but now that I can feel a difference I’m excited to receive them. I’m much happier and am living life to the fullest now. I am more talkative and have been able to reach out to people like I never have before. I’ve been getting out and doing more active activities, and spending more time with friends and family. All these changes haven’t occurred only because of the ECT’s, but also because the new medicine Dr. Rand has put me and the therapy I’ve been receiving. My therapist is wonderful and I hope everyone can find someone as healing as her to talk to. If you have any questions about the treatment at Bay Recovery I would be happy talk to you. Also, if anyone has any questions about ECT, therapy, depression medications, or depression in general, feel free to contact me through my blog,