Posted by Simon Sobo, MD on August 25, 2004, at 13:52:25
In reply to Re: To Simon Sobo. Your point being?, posted by Denise1904 on August 25, 2004, at 12:07:43
It would be silly to repeat the arguments in my article which you have apparently not read. I think the meds are great for the right person at the right time in their life. And yes I even can accept that the meds might be necessary or at least useful in some people for their entire life. My objection is to the complete and absolute lie that the science of most conditions is understood. I don't think my profession is doing a very good job of making that clear. I'll go furhter and say that it is in the interest of psychiatrists to not make the isssue clearly understood. Biological factors surely play a role and even genetic factors but this is very! poorly understood.
The key issue is how much to trust your psychiatrist. Some are fine and honorable and smart human beings doing their very best with what is known. Some are handing out drugs with very little knowledge of their patient and a specious DSM IV diagnosis applied. Recently my 16 year old niece was undergoing a rough time so that she had become pretty emotional. They felt she needed help and I agreed. But I told them to steer clear of psychiatrists or else she would be diagnosed bipolar and soon be on lithium, depakote, zyprexa or a combination of them. It is pathetic that my own profession has gone so far down the medication role that I am advising people to stay away from them unless the problem is very serious. Because many psychiatrists could do a great job and even use meds judiciously with cases that aren't very extreme. But this niece was living in the South, and not knowing anyone my view was that it was better to stay clear of a psychiatrist. Sorry to say that about my own colleagues
poster:Simon Sobo, MD
thread:221657
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040825/msgs/382189.html