My Cousin Has Been Prescribed Every Drug Available

Dear Ms. Curtiss,

Thank you for your wonderful writing.  I believe my husband and sons were inspired when they chanced upon you at your booksigning.  My son was thrilled with your "Dragons Guard the Zoo."  I have been inspired by "Brain-Switch Out of Depression." 

 My cousin is a very talented author.  I look forward to the day that her fantasy novels can be enjoyed by many.  However, her adult life has been defined by depression.  I can't count the number of times she has been in the hospital to prevent injury to herself. She has been treated with every drug available.  She recently ended over a dozen sessions of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which seemed to have no measurable benefit, but the side effect of sizable memory loss.  As I have been reading your book, I am praying that she will accept it from me, and be willing to consider and implement its wisdom.

Thank you again for your inspiration.  I am most grateful.

Best regards, M

Dear M,

Thank you so much for your letter. I do not take private patients any more. However, that said, I continue to answer anyone's specific questions via email. I do not charge for this. I find that having to coelesce one's thoughts into an actual question may be more helpful than a face to face meeting which are often unprofitable because the person wants to tell the same "life story" over and over again, rather than figuring how how to write themselves a new story.

Many of these email exchanges I post on my blog (after editing for privacy) for, often, those suffering depression have questions and sometime answers that are helpful to others suffering the same thing. My blog is http://mobyjane.blogspot.com.

I wish your cousin a speedy recovery. I also suggest that in addition to Brainswitch, if your cousin is open to the idea, that you also get a copy of Depression is a Choice since your cousin has a degree in English.

Brainswitch is the neuroscience of how you get out of depression. Depression is a Choice is the philosophy of how you get out of depression and it is the psychological autobiography of my own journey into and out of manic depression. I think you can get a used copy of this on amazon.com for only a couple of dollars.

Another thing to consider about your cousin. If she has been on so many drugs for so long, it is possible that she is suffering from a lack of necessary nutrients in her brain as a result of the drugs. I was on oxycodene for only three weeks and it so fried my brain that I was in constant anxiety for 6 months. Kaiser's answer was more drugs for the anxiety but I decided to seek the services of a doctor of Chinese medicine who put me on a regimen of nutrients. It took several months but as a result of the vitamins and hormones I completely recovered and for the last year.have never felt better in my life. Just a suggestion. A. B. Curtiss ----

Dear A. B.- 

Thank you for your thoughtful, considered responses.  I will immediately forward this suggestion to my cousin.

We just spent a lovely day together.  I confess I prayed for the right moment to share your writing and answers with her.  (I primed the pump by sharing with her some of your wonderful poetry and exquisite illustrations.--Shel Silverstein has been replaced:-) )

I have shared your work with other family members, and we are all praying that she will take your writings and experiences to heart.  I've ordered "Depression is a Choice," and look forward to reading it.  Thank you for your guidance.

Warm regards,

M