Posted by hageshe on April 4, 2003, at 19:03:55
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal Highly Overrated luckyspec, posted by luckyspec on April 3, 2003, at 17:44:50
Yeah, I have had several of those observations and thoughts too....but they are only trivial intellectual meanderings and not serious treatment for a serious problem. Consider this one: If they didn't treat Depression before the drug industry existed, they also didn't treat cancer and baterial infections. What happened? People died. What happens when a brilliant mind is overcome with Depression? Perhaps the missed opportunity to reach full potential (if not with certainty).
Although being an intellectual myself and also suffering from despression, I also have opportunities to contemplate where the root of the problem resides. I think there is truth to some of the things you say (for instance, people most certainly do need to deal with thier problems, and yes, sadness is a very desireable part of life).
What bothers me most is this thought: There is no money in finding a cure; only treatment. I mean, drug companies won't make money from curing. Doing this would remove the recurring revenue from those ever-so-convenient daily dosages. And a weekly or monthly or yearly treatment doesn't fit well enough with the insurance industry's system: the $20 deductable for a 30-day supply.
So, having such brilliant minds all working together to find a treatment and avoid a cure....what a sad thing. The drug companies must be very proud of themselves. I wonder if they came across the cure and set it aside in favor of a treatment? I think so.
And worse, if the cure is something they can't patent (such as Grapefruit Seed Extract....St. Johns Wart....others) they have no interest in sharing the good news. If they did they could sit back and watch their revenue dry up.
Has anyone every read "The Yeast Connection"? A very interesting theory of yeast as a root cause for depression...which I think has real potential. In fact, I am going to try it. After all, what causes the famous "chemical imbalance in the brain" that is making the drug companies so rich? Perhaps the lack of a simple enzyme produced by a process somewhere in the digestive system? Well, if that sounds crazy, consider that the deadly poisons like cyanide stop the bodily enzymes that allow the brain to extract oxygen from the blood. Did you know food like Almonds have cyanide in them? Hmmm, not that I am saying everyone with depression needs to stop eating Almonds....hardly. Just that common folk like us don't have the luxury of finding root causes for systemic illnesses; the best we can expect is to kep trying these daily dose treatments.
More food for thought: Once upon a time the US Govt. invested in research institutes that looked for cures. When was the last cure for anything developed? I can't think of it happening in my lifetime....just more daily dose treatments. I wonder if thr drug companies have lobbied Congress to put a stop to the "cures" so they can enjoy the spoils of the daily dose system?
poster:hageshe
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030402/msgs/216304.html