Posted by JohnL on January 6, 2001, at 5:07:50
In reply to Re: Cam...what say you., posted by SLS on January 5, 2001, at 12:15:17
> Some of the old timers of psychopharmacology considered a slow, gradual response to antidepressants to indicate a better long-term prognosis.
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> - ScottBased primarily on the opinions of my most recent and favorite psychiatrist in Maine (an old timer, in his 70's, seen it all), the best prognosis he saw in his lifetime was a rather rapid response. Sure, sometimes those pooped out, or were confused with side effects or placebo effects. But more often than not, a good early response was predictive of a superior longterm response. Others here have verified their own doctors hold the same belief.
It almost sounds like some people actually want antidepressants to take a long time. They somehow like that idea and accept it to be a fact. I can never understand that. If we were talking about curing freckles or something, that would be a different story. But depression. Yikes. That's serious stuff. Every hour of every day is torture. Every moment is crucial. 10% of depression victims take their own lives. Eight weeks is totally unacceptable. 6 weeks is a stretch. Even 4 weeks is an eternity. I would think those who really care would be obsessed with finding methods and theories to speed response, rather than accepting supposed fact that there is not and never will be a better way. I don't know about you, but I want to see the depression sufferer get well fast. I will never cling to a theory that has flaws, holes, unexplainable mysteries, and slow response times. In other words, conventional psychiatry as I see it is way too primitive, way to narrow-sighted, biased, and in need of pioneering experts rather than go-with-the-flow experts.
John
poster:JohnL
thread:50902
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001231/msgs/51021.html