Posted by 8 Miles on January 30, 2004, at 18:59:27
In reply to Is depression a disease? « Chairman_MAO, posted by Dr. Bob on January 28, 2004, at 18:49:40
I read through the linked "discussion", I feel that it very quickly unraveled into illogical banter. How does one define a disease? It cannot be based soley upon pathology. How can a pathologist determine a person's personality by looking at a dead corpse's brain tissue? How about the person's religious beliefs? IQ? Beliefs, ideology, interests, favorite ice cream? A pathologist cannot determine ANY of that by looking at a body's brain tissue. So, is this to say that person, while living, did not have these beliefs, feelings, loyalties, creeds and emotions while alive? Can a pathologist look at brain tissue and know that this person loved his/her little girl so much that he/she would willingly die to protect the little girl? NO! NO! NO! NO! Using the logic of the "no pudding no proof" camp who claim that there is no scientic data to support the defintion of depression as a disease, then no one EVER had a personality while alive. Strangely, they use the arguement that depression is just feelings and outlook on life i.e a PERSONALITY. But, using their own defintion of only pathological evidence can DX a disease, how can they prove that the person had a PERSONALITY? There is no tissue to explain that. Further, they repute the chemical balance therory as a pharse, because there is no documented proof that chemicals in the brain are "out of balance".
HA! Maybe not on a corpse, but what about in a living brain? Blood flow in the brain related to emotional changes has been CLEARLY documented to exist and affect the brain tissue using CT, PET scans as well as MRI films (or live-action video). One of the most hotly debated issues in psychology-psychiatry is ADHD (which, by the way, is NOT just for kids anymore as I have it in my mid 40's). Insurance companies, schools, religious groups and physcians/clinicians all challenge the other's position based mostly upon fear and money. "My, we can't be giving little 7 year old Susie Amphetamines! How terrible!" Does it resolve the issues caused by the "disease"? Yes, it does. Since neurotransmissions and neuronal reuptake of the chemicals made by the body that the brain uses to communicate with the body, have really only been explored and examined during the past 50 years, the science is, technically, still rather "new". Does anyone WANT to have OCD or bipolar disorder? Is it something that they just convince themselves that they have one day because they are bored with their current world? That's really a rhetorical question, but NO! Can someone collapse into their mind to escape a tragic episode? Well, yes they can, but I still feel that is the brain's way of shutting down due to an overload of emotion. OK, when the person who is currently given a general DX of major depression, have their symptoms successfully treated by medicines (and perhaps therapy) just falling under a voodoo curse? Hmmmm....if that's the case, how can a person who presents to an ER in a psychotic state be "calmed down" by Ativan or Haldol? Just drug induced handcuffs? When I cannot concentrate enough to finish a simple task, and am then given Amphetamines (which allow my mind to focus so that I CAN complete the task) am I just reacting to positive suggestion from my Pdoc that this will help me? Well, placebos can work, and a "witch doctor" can make a person believe that they are ill or cured. I cannot totally dismiss off-hand those phenomena, nor adequately explain HOW or WHY they work. If you want to see some interesting data, cruise through a PDR or some other drug info given with the med. VERY, VERY often the statement "while the exact action of this drug cannot be described, but is THOUGHT to....." That basically says, "well, this medication treats sleep disorder, but we don't know how or why". How many of the Drs. and counselors in the posted "conversation" use or recommend many medications that they themselves cannot explain the pharmacokinetics that make the meds "work"? "Can you explain the quality of your pain"?......"it hurts really bad". What sort of DX tool is that? "Do you feel sad, have feelings of hopelessness, trouble sleeping, eating too much or too little, persistant driving thoughts, suicidal ideation, restlessness, aggitation, unable to complete simple mental tasks, memory problems,lethargy, unexplained pains, strange fears, obsessive thoughts, fear of meeting people or going outside,fear of unclean objects and germs, guilt, feelings of inferiority, uncontrolled anger and hostile outbursts"? Well, I guess the person who answered "yes" to many of those "feelings" just wants to be that way, out of choice because it is part of their personality, part nature part nurture. Lack of moral turpitude. Oh, but for some reason we can't figure out, this medicine here will make your personal emotional weakness better!Well, guess I've rambled long enough, but I guess it's just my chosen personality and feelings...nothing more.
8
poster:8 Miles
thread:306610
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040120/msgs/307484.html