Posted by Leighwit on May 4, 2002, at 11:08:30
In reply to Re: Stupid from drugs or from depression? How can , posted by Uppendown on May 3, 2002, at 20:57:04
Uppendown,
I think much of what you've written is unarguable. The problem is, IMO, that the "alternatives" are even less impressive. Those of us who have struggled with side effects and various degrees of efficacy in psychotropic medications for a number of years (over ten in my case) have most often (I presume) tried other treatment options.
Nutritional, herbal, psychotherapeutic, physical (exercise, acupuncture)and a host of other treatments have proven fruitless for me.
Have the medications done much better? Yes and no. At times, they have lifted me out of a very deep abyss, yet always with significant discomfort (side effects). At other times, they've been barely worth the cost of the side effects.
Overall, I'd say today's psychotropic drugs are mediocre at best. The insulin I take daily and have since childhood is incomparable to AD meds, yet I cannot help but compare them since I use them both every day of my life. One is an incredible blessing, the other an incredible compromise.
Are too many people taking these medications unnecessarily? Probably. But that's not the foremost issue, is it? People taking ADs who don't really need them, will in all likelihood discontinue them rather easily. First, they won't "hit the wall" with debilitating depression symptoms when they stop them. Second, they won't take them if they don't need them, because we all know that these drugs (by and large) stink. It's not like they're recreational drugs with an enjoyment factor. People who don't need ADs won't stay on them very long. They'll diagnose themselves and find better physicians with better and more appropriate therapies ~ because they're able to. Those that CAN, will. Are there exceptions? Absolutely. But I don't think they are significant in overall number.
Those of us who cannot function productively without some of these medications and yet are suffering daily because of their overall ineffectiveness and/or horrendous side effects are the more important category of people for whom we should be concerned. It is these people who have legitimate trouble helping themselves.
I guess it's all a matter of degree. Depressed people, however, regardless of their walks in life, seem unwilling or unable to stand up and scream for relief. To demand that our country put major clinical depression (actually, mental illness in general) in the top percentage of federally funded medical research. More drugs come down the pike without any real change in the quality of their performance. They're simply more tolerable (easier to take) than the older drugs and Pdocs love that. Patients, however, aren't jumping up and down with high praise for the SSRIs as opposed to the older drug categories ~ not those that have used them for more than a year or two. Why? Because more pharmaceuticals are not the answer until we better understand the cause(s)of various forms of mental illness. It's all about the quality and extent of the research. Garbage In/Garbage Out.
I didn't mean to come off as cynical. I merely think that we're covering a very, very broad topic here and sometimes it gets too verbose to really accomplish much.
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> I have NO complaints with the "help" I got... but I do have honest and sincere questions about how most people are diagnosed and "treated". I sincerely believe, based on alot of time, effort and experience/investigation, that a very large percentage of the people currently on psychotropic drugs... not only *shouldn't* be on them... not only are being negatively impacted by those drugs... but in fact would be better "served" with other therapuetic approaches ! I don't say these things lightly! I say them out of very sincere concern. I have talked to very many people, for a long time now... and it disturbs me very much to see so much "unneccessary" suffering. As well intentioned as the caregivers may be, the impacts, on a daily basis, for so many people, is just so upsetting.. All I'm trying to do is to get people to *just THINK*.. HONESTLY... about what the sources of their problems and upset really are. I am also uncomfortable with societys' propensity for "quick fixes"... that this magic pill or that will "solve" the problems in their lives. If only that were true. But I've yet to see it.
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> And... I TOTALLY agree with you... I don't mean to diminish, in ANY way, the very real suffering we go through. Believe me, I really do know. I just see so many of us lead down a path that promises "solutions" that we all see are rarely "delivered".
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> Again, thank you for your thoughtful post...
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> Best Wishes,
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> Uppendown
poster:Leighwit
thread:13717
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020503/msgs/105029.html