Posted by Eddie Sylvano on January 30, 2004, at 8:39:56
In reply to Re: farewell to psychobabble (my last post), posted by zeugma on January 29, 2004, at 21:18:55
> In any case, it doesn't matter, he was raising issues that I thought were worth responding to even if he himself was making a fast exit out of here.
----------Yeah. His points form a meta-point, that each person's experience is different (both for meds and meds discussion).
IMHO, if all doctors were up to date on their research, and experienced in pharmacology, we really could all address our needs with one professional. This is the ideal. It probably works relatively close to this if you consult a mechanic, or a dentist, but trying to fix mental states is such a varied and internally subjective phenomenon that it's optimistic to expect any one person to suss everything out right. If you believe the DSM, there are a finite number of mental problems. If you believe the FDA, there are a handful of prescriptive avenues for each problem. That said, it makes sense to consult an experienced professional and take their advice, but I don't think that one should resign themselves to a failing regimen if the case arises. Professionals are in a better position to address their areas of expertise, but they aren't perfect. I think that a lot of the motivation fueling this board is frustration with incomplete or erroneous treatment, and not people assuming they know more than their doctors. As a final point, Psychiatrists in general aren't an equal access resource. If you don't have the necessary insurance, or money, you're on your own whether you like it or not. There's a huge barrier to mental health resources in the United States that urgently needs addressing.
I'll step off my soapbox now...
poster:Eddie Sylvano
thread:306133
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040127/msgs/307211.html