Posted by Kaysey on June 7, 2001, at 23:32:28
In reply to Re: effexor is a life saver, posted by lifelongevity on June 7, 2001, at 22:41:07
> You've hit on one of my big beefs! People who think anti-depressants are bad, unnecessary or somehow it's more virtuous to struggle!
>
> The truth is every individual is different. Some people have diabetes. Would we tell them, "hey, snap out of it. My body makes insulin, yours should too. Just try harder!"
>
> Well I guess some people would! But I reject that idea every time it comes up.
>
> "Depression" is a really a catch-all term not one particular condition. I like to call it the flu of the mind. When you get muscle aches and fever and feeling bad, you are describing the symptoms of the flu. But you're also describing the symptoms of dozens of other diseases that feel similiar.
>
> And so when your brain is deficient in something it needs like a neurotransmittor it feels to your mind like "depression."
>
> Some depression is caused by external events. And some are caused by physical ailments. And sometimes we have both. Each cause may have to be treated differently. But they certainly have a right to be treated!
>
> My cousin has been a life long depression sufferer in our family.She finally found relief since SSRI's. I never attempted suicide as she had (I had death ideations but never actually felt I would go through with it) so I didn't think I had depression. Then when my dad said he was on paxil I thought I maybe I should try it.
>
> It helped me greatly. For whatever reason my body, and the brain is just another organ of the body, doesn't use neurotransmittors optimally. Maybe it's partly a genetic susceptibility. Maybe it's triggered by stress etc. Whatever the cause
> I consider taking a neurotransmittor enhancer just another drug for a physical ailment.Amazing isn't it? With regard to mental health, our society is almost as antiquated in its attitudes as we were during the dark ages! Centuries ago, it was thought that disease was caused by bad air, spirits, demons, poor character, etc. Although we laugh at those concepts now, when you stop to think about it, many people treat those with depression like they once treated people with the plague and leprosy.
We have so far to go (and that is what I meant in the previor post about wanting to bring this to light via research and education).
You know, I have actually tried to use that analogy that you used about diabetes and insulin, and I have gotten really strange looks. Sadly just a few decades ago, diabetics were dismissed as people who had 'no control' over their intake of sweets often like the depressed of today are told they have 'no control' over their emotions.
I had a lengthy conversation with an RN friend of mine who refused to 'buy into' the neurotransmitter theory of depression at all! OK, enough of the soapbox again. Frustrating isn't it? I just hope we can make some headway.
poster:Kaysey
thread:65532
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010605/msgs/65715.html