BPDFamily.com

Hello all, 

I have 25 y/o son BPD.  His primary symptom now is depression.  He has been under the care of therapists and psychiatrists for 8 or 9 years.  He has been on many antidepressents, and all sorts of anti-psychotic and mood diasorder medicines as well.  Right now he is on lithium(for 5 months) and Ambien at night  He is a gifted and incredibly talented musician.  Unfortunately, he has failed to achieve any real success and cannot move forward.  Of course he has been sabotaged by his poor relationship skills and probably this has contributed to his failure as well.  He doesn't feel life is worth anything without being in the music world.  He feels betrayed in that he grew up with everyone telling him he was going to make it, including our whole family.  His personality was formed with this conception and he can't change.  so he has no job, has lost all of his friends and even his gf has distanced herself to almost being out of the picture.

He lives in an attached apt to our house. He tries to change but cannot sustain his mood and goes sour. As his mother I am close to exhaustion!

The point of this post is that his psychiatrist, whom I respect, has suggested electroshock therapy and I was hoping I could get some opinions or if anybody has  gone through it with their child.

Any advice would be helpful.  My son is thinking about it.

thank-you

My child has not had it but I know several that have had it.  It is much different than the procedures years ago.  Some think it really helped.  Others not so much.  Memory issues seem to be an issue.  I would research it carefully and even discuss it with another professional who is knowledgeable. 

Rock Lady

Hello rhapsody4,

there is an older thread here on the same topic, and it has some helpful information in it:

https://bpdfamily.com/message_board/index.php?topic=195245.0

Hope this helps... .

I don't know about ECT but my daughter is starting TMS tomorrow. I wonder if you have looked in to it.  Better than ECT and no side effects. It supposed help people with major depressive disorder.

I don't know anything about Electroshock Therapy, but my own adult (37) son had many diagnoses (ADD, Social Anxiety, Suicidal Ideations, Drug Addiction) besides Clinical Depression--which was horrendous!--when he was diagnosed with BPD. After attending a Dual Diagnosis Program (where the BPD was diagnosed) and having intensive DBT Therapy for 21 days, he started Neurofeedback Therapy (about 19 months ago) and continues to this day. It is helping him immensely, and I'm wondering if you might find somewhere by you that offers it?

He had been through 2 "normal" Rehabs in the past, also attending Out-Patient therapy and seeing a Psychiatrist regularly, and nothing helped him until he 1). Participated in the 21-day Intensive In-Patient Dual Diagnosis Program, where he was diagnosed with BPD, and 2). Began Neurofeedback Therapy.

He is the happiest and healthiest he has been since being a kid, and is now more than 19 months clean and sober from alcohol, cigarettes, and every drug (his drugs of choice were opiates, resulting in a multi-year Heroin addiction). The Depression, Suicidal Ideations and everything else (except a mild case of Social Anxiety) are pretty much gone now, and I think the DDx Program set him on the course of recovery, and the Neurofeedback Therapy kept him on it... .

Dear rhapsody4

I don't have any experience with Electroshock Therapy but I wanted to tell you how sorry I am. I just had a thought while reading your post that maybe there is a way for your son to still work within the music industry. Has he ever thought of giving music lessons? He can make his own hours and do a job that he loves. People are always looking for teachers and I think sometimes finding a job can give a person such a good feeling about him self. Even if he is not on the stgae I do think there is a way to still be involved with music.

My daughter is 28 and has been dealing with BPD for roughly 10 years. We discovered TMS this past summer and were told it does not cure depression but in her case would allow her to use her DBT skills with more clarity. She was in a bad relationship and in the midst of breaking up when she started these treatments. For awhile, she seemed to be thinking much more clearly but then had a meltdown when the breakup went to full force and I wondered how the TMS helped at that time. Once she started to melt, as most of you know, nothing stopped her until she wore herself out. I am still not sure, for the cost involved, if it is effective. When she is doing well, she raves about TMS but again, we wait on eggshells for the next meltdown. When she is not "in love" she is highly functioning and a delight to be around. Is it horrible that I pray she will not find love again for awhile?