Any Links For Depression Literature In Thai

[mssabai]

I am currently helping my boyfriend get treatment for his depression. I feel fortunate that I have so many resources to hand on the internet, however he has nothing (he can't read English). He understands that he has depression but has no understanding of the fact that it is a disease, the different forms it can take, and most importantly that he isn't alone. We are looking into treatments at the moment, but in the meantime I would like him to be able to read more about his illness.

Does anyone have any links or addresses that I could use to get some literature in Thai. An internet site would be great or does anyone have anything they can email to me? If so PM me and I will send you my email address.

Thank you

[a2396]

Not much available in LOS. I think mostly it's not a recognized condition by the average Thai and certainly not talked about. If you do find a doc to treat him, they will not doubt load him up with anti-depressant meds, such as Prozac. That's the easy & cheap way out, unfortunately in most cases. I doubt if you or he has money for couch time with a shrink, even if you could find one here. Gook luck.

[tomartoh]

There are facilities in Thailand, albeit not many and nowhere as well developed as say in the UK and there are also a lot of doctors who do try to do a job in helping people without just resorting to Prozac. It may be that they practise more in the international hospitals rather than the normal local hospital. I have worked with a lot of psychiatrists in the uk and i have met some very senior ones here but have to admit i know where i would prefer to be if i had some mental condition needing treatment.

Be aware of anything that is prescribed for him and check it out on the internet. Be prepared to question any doctor on the why's and wherefores of any drugs prescribed.

There is a public psychiatric hospital in Bkk in I think the Rangsit area that caters for lots of different problems including depression. A friend [farang] has just had an assessment there for alcoholism, It is not expensive.

Without intending to be rude, how do you know your boyfriend is depressed and why do you think that him reading about it will make any difference to him. Can you not start the ball rolling with a visit to a doctor?

[JSixpack]

The mental health resource list pinned in this forum has some links with Thai personnel; you can give them a call, too, and probably get a referral.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Mental-Healt...ist-t90910.html

[tim armstrong]

I am currently helping my boyfriend get treatment for his depression. I feel fortunate that I have so many resources to hand on the internet, however he has nothing (he can't read English). He understands that he has depression but has no understanding of the fact that it is a disease, the different forms it can take, and most importantly that he isn't alone. We are looking into treatments at the moment, but in the meantime I would like him to be able to read more about his illness.

Does anyone have any links or addresses that I could use to get some literature in Thai. An internet site would be great or does anyone have anything they can email to me? If so PM me and I will send you my email address.

Thank you

Hi,

I don't know of .any literature on depression in Thai, but my wife and I maybe able to help you at our homestay near Nakhon Sawan, as we run short or longer term programs for people with mental health issues, including depression, and drug and alcohol problems . Please PM me if you would like more information. Regards, Tim

[Robroy]

The best-documented successful treatment for depression is 'Learned Optimism' - a type of Cognitive Psychology pioneered by Prof Martin Seligman.

40 years of well-controlled studies have established it as the pick of the treatments. More effective than psycotherapy, Prozac, or old-fashioned wilpower.

I had depression from my teens till my 50s, whereupon I discovered the above, applied the exercises assiduously, &...bingo - I have depression no more.

That was 4 years ago - in Thailand.

However the 'Learned Optimism' book is not in Thai (I checked). Nor is there much understanding among Thais (including Thai doctors etc) about depression. They're basically where we were in the 50s.

So the good news is that depression can be retired permanently. The slightly more challenging news is that if you wanted to go down this path, you would probably have to order the book from Amazon, & explain the principles & teach the exercises to your bf.

Do the exercises daily & the depression will go away. But like anything good this takes some commitment.

[sleepyjohn]

Without intending to be rude, how do you know your boyfriend is depressed and why do you think that him reading about it will make any difference to him.

A pretty large study was done on just reading the 80's cognitive therapy book "Feeling Good" (Burns). It was termed bibliotherapy, and compared not only against non-therapy but against therapy under a mental health professional.

It may surprise you to learn that the bibliotherapy came out even with the professionally led therapy.

(If the OP would like to inform herself I recommend the above, still excellent, also Three Minute Therapy, much better than it sounds, demonstrating the mental toxicity of "musty" thinking.)

The depressive has likely used unwholesome and irrational self-talk (ie thought, and probably subliminally) to get himself into the state he's in over a considerable period of time. He needs that thinking challenged with rational and reasonable alternatives, preferably in a form where he himself comes up with the rational answer after being presented leading series of questions. It will likely also take considerable repetition and time to amend the unhealthy mental habit patterns that are now there. As a friend of mine who used to work in a hospital for the criminally insane said

"It ain't much fun".

Good Luck

John

Edited July 4, 2009 by sleepyjohn

[Swelters]

Depression is somewhat of modern American invention, it simply does not exist in the Thai framework of things. So in a way you could be inflicting a disease on him that only exists ( if it exists at all) in the context of your relationship with him. For example many years ago I worked closely with a Thai and as a result of this position he adopted my immunity from the usual hierarchical controls that ruled in the bureaucratic setting where we operated. His subsequent flaunting of these rules of Thai society invited revenge of the most serious kind leaving him sullen and "sick" with asthma.

So you might want to think whether trying to pull him into a fahlang world view is either very good for anyone or very effective in the long run. My friends "cure" was a job transfer that restored him to the Thai world. Keep in mind that as a Thai he may be averse to to telling you much that is on his mind so therefore not much of anything, which seems like....depression?

Swelters