Posted by wcfrench on December 12, 2002, at 14:00:34
In reply to Re: Well, whatever...., posted by Simon Sobo MD on December 12, 2002, at 9:44:50
You have good theories. The zoloft "drunk" effect wore off long ago, and I'm not sure how much it helped or is still helping, but I am doing just fine. Of course, I still get anxious and occasionally depressed but who doesn't? I think we should all hope to achieve a happy life without the use of medication, but this may not necessarily be an option for some people. I think psychotherapy is a much more powerful tool than medicine, in some cases, and in others, a combination is always more helpful than just medicine alone. However, the fact remains that the reason people take these medicines, however inaccurate or unspecific they are, is because they help, in some way, somehow. Whether it is a placebo effect, chemical imbalance, neurotransmitters... whatever the case, they help, and people who go through such "misery" look to anything for reprieve, and when you're in that state, you'll do anything. For me, it took almost two years to be feeling back to "normal" (whatever that is) and only now am I able to say that I want to be off medicine one day, and be happy without being dependent on it... But I think for most people going through serious depression (or anxiety) it can take a lot of work, and sometimes a lot of trying different medications (with different, and sometimes inaccurate methods of action) before finding something that provides relief from their despair.
We still have much researching to be done, and new things are coming out so fast, we're bound to become more educated as the years go by. I think eventually we'll have a very direct grasp on it, as these illnesses affect so many people in the world. Yes, I believe antidepressants are overprescribed, and many patients are misdiagnosed, but I also stand firm that medicine has done far more good than it has done bad, and always will.
Take care,
Charlie
poster:wcfrench
thread:123623
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021210/msgs/131515.html