Posted by fachad on September 20, 2003, at 23:00:05
In reply to Dexedrine is AMAZING! (but I am skeptical), posted by zarathustra on September 20, 2003, at 18:22:49
>...It is curious to note that I appear to be getting more of an antidepressant boost than any type of ADD benefit.
IMHO, response to a particular med does not really have diagnostic significance...here's a statement of my thoughts on this topic from an earlier post:
I'm somewhat skeptical about the validity of DSM-IV diagnosis. I think they are a convenient way to group symptoms and present something “scientific” sounding to third party payers, but I don't think they are as valid as medical diagnosis like streptococcus caused strep throat.
The one thing I absolutely don't buy into at all is medication treatment specificity in psych disorders. By that I mean I don't think one class of meds is always indicated in one class of disorders.
Benzo's probably help some depression patients. Mood stabilizers help some anxiety patients. ADs help some OCD sufferers. Stimulants help some depression patients, and that does not necessarily mean those patients "really had" undiagnosed ADD all along.
The diagnosis are somewhat questionable, but the specificity of treatment concept is a carryover from the germ / antibiotic medical model and it just does not hold water in psych disorders.
It's a real shame in that it limits the possible treatments that are tried and also results in a diagnosis in the event of response. "Oh, I guess you really had (whatever) disorder, because you responed to (whatever class) of meds. Now expect these symptoms too, because they go along with your disorder."
>Anxiety patients go through life thinking that that's just the best meds have to offer without having been given the freedom of choice to try bzd's on equal footing with ssri's and similiar drugs.
Yes, and they have to PAY more for those less effective SSRIs, too. And depression patients go on from one ineffective, side effect laden AD to another, without trying stimulants, unless there is some indication of ADHD, or without trying benzos, unless there is evidence of GAD, or whatever...
poster:fachad
thread:262015
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030917/msgs/262067.html