Posted by allisonm on March 21, 2001, at 19:52:42
In reply to Celexa, posted by Deidre on March 21, 2001, at 8:51:09
Deidre,
Thanks for writing. I have a few questions for you. Have you ever been diagnosed with depression? Have you ever taken antidepressants? Being an RN have you ever worked professionally with a psychiatrist and/or a psychotherapist?
While I agree that it is important to do talk therapy to try to improve one's life and mood, surely you do not think that this alone will always fix things. Have you read about the studies that advocate the use of antidepressants AND talk therapy as being more effective than one or the other alone? Have you read about the studies on the recurrence of depression, or the 'kindling effect' as described in Kramer's book? Have you ever heard of the theory/opinion that taking antidepressants can lift one up to a level (or put a floor under one's feet) so that one CAN discuss life's problems in therapy?
I myself have found this last theory to be true. I would be very happy not to take eight pills -- two antidepressants and a mood stabilizer -- a day in three doses while I do my weekly psychotherapy, but like it or not they keep me from feeling like killing myself. I heartily disagree with your assertion that ADs "mask" underlying problems. Further, a short amount of time "powering through problems" is not necessarily a short term source of discomfort, nor is it necessarily an effective remedy. It can take years of talk therapy to find resolution, which is why insurance companies today would much rather have doctors prescribe drugs because drugs are much less expensive in comparison. And you are mistaken if you think that psychotherapy does not have any side effects.
Perhaps you see patients who go to their GPs for ADs who probably aren't depressed and don't need ADs but who want some pill to fix everything. Perhaps you see people who go through simple bouts of depression that would go away in a few weeks or months whether or not they took ADs or went through psychotherapy.
Have you had any professional experience with people who have been suicidal, who have been depressed for many years, or who are incapacitated by depression or anxiety to the point where they cannot hold down jobs? Do you honestly think that a family member or clergyman is prepared to help them "power through" the problems "they feel" are weighing them down?
I don't mean to offend, but I find your opinion very naive.
Allison
poster:allisonm
thread:57052
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010319/msgs/57100.html