YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Hey guys,

I'm a 30 year old male from the South. I battled severe, debilitating clinical depression most of the last decade, but after LOTS of treatment I am feeling better than ever, emotionally.

My treatments included 2 several month stints at an inpatient treatment center in Texas, then I spent a year in a "step-down" program in Chicago. I left Chicago in January and moved back home where I had a job lined up. My job doesn't pay crap, but it is outdoors and physically demanding - both of which are very good for me. Working and staying busy has helped my psyche tremendously.

Medication and talk therapy have helped me a great deal, but no matter how much they helped there was still a mental hurdle I could never quite get over. Enter Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. TMS is what helped me finally get over that last hurdle, and I have not had a serious depressive episode since receiving TMS treatment.

Anyway, my plans are to continue working and possibly go back to school to get a degree in counseling because I want to be a therapist.

I recently discovered The Mental Illness Happy Hour and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I hope to help and be helped on this forum. Looking forward to it!

-D

Hi

Good to hear you've won the battle. It's inspiring, always gives me hope when I hear a story like that. Helps me to not give up just because medication isn't working, there is so much more help out there. I've never even heard of TMS before.

go back to school to get a degree in counseling because I want to be a therapist

Yeah thats my plan too. I praying and hoping with all my heart to you get there and get what you want. You deserve it, you've worked hard to overcome something so debilitating!

Thanks for giving me hope

Diaz, love your avatar!

Congrats, Diaz!

Thanks for the encouragement and support, guys!

Heart,
(Quite an appropriate screen name, btw) You are more than welcome for the hope!
I wouldn't say I have "overcome" depression entirely but I have definitely won a BIG battle in the war and feel better than I have in at least 10 years. It is a slow process. I'm sure there will more battles in the future, but I'll cross those bridges when I come to them. Until then I will try to appreciate and enjoy each day as it comes, and do things that might improve my future while not ruminating and worrying about it.
I highly recommend TMS. It is expensive, but if you suffer from debilitating, treatment resistant depression and you can possibly afford it, I would definitely give it a try.
I hope you reach your goals as well! Personally, I can't think of many things more fulfilling and rewarding than being a therapist.

moe_g: Thanks! That's my best buddy, Buster. I wish I liked myself as much as he likes me - LOL!

Stina: Thanks! Glad you joined!