QUESTION:
Hello Dr. Heller:
I found your site through SelfGrowth.com. and I compliment you on it. I took the "Screening Test" and determined that I fall into the category of "Fractured Enjoyment". I've been researching places on the Internet where I could go on a "retreat" or some sort of program for at least a week. Having never been a "spiritual" type person and a non-believer, there were the only sites I could find that address mental health in any way.
Now that I have done so much research, I've come to opening my mind up to the possibility of that type of therapy as opposed to the traditional psychiatrist/talk therapy. I don't know if I'm Biologically Unhappy or just Unhappy which I've been my entire life. At age 53, about a month ago, I got to the point of just not wanting to live anymore. I can't stand the thought of living the rest of my life like I've lived it to date. I was extremely depressed and wanted to die but went no further except for thoughts of the idea. I took a bunch of SAMe and after several days, my spirit picked up a bit, at least enough to be encouraged to set out on finding a solution. May I ask, do you know of any such retreats where I can go? What recommendations would you have for me? I would appreciate it greatly if I could hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Thank you greatly in advance.
ANSWER:
Thank you for your kind words.
The SAMe gave you a clue that medication may be of help.
I would tell you what I tell everyone - do the screening test and pursue those diagnoses. Prozac is the best for what I call "fractured enjoyment" - and used to have the name "depressed personality." "Listening to Prozac" by Dr. Peter Kramer is an excellent information source here. Prozac usually works in 3-5 days for this problem.
There's no formal program I can recommend as you wanted, however I have an excellent choice to recommend.
1) Have the diagnoses evaluated and see if you're eligible for a Prozac trial and
2) "The Option Institute" run by Barry Neil Kaufman, author of "Happiness
is a Choice."
I'd love to spend a week at his retreat and from what I know of it, I think this combined with medication may be a great choice. If medication is needed, brain retraining is limited. The combination is remarkably powerful.