Posted by Ilene on July 18, 2005, at 15:52:08
In reply to Re: Dr. Breggin on Tom Cruise, ritalin and psychiatry., posted by laurenjb on July 18, 2005, at 5:01:40
> I'm surprised to be the sole contrarian thus far with regard to Dr. Breggin's comments, particularly as I recall a virulently anti-Tom Cruise thread from not too long ago.
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> First, I think it is true that anti-depressants and other meds are prescribed far too frequently as a panacea, an easy response to consumers who have seen/heard ads that tout happiness as being a pill away, and an ill-advised movement away from psychotherapy (esp. cognitive-behavioral) and toward 5 minute sessions of med management.
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> That being said, even though I have treatment-resistant major depression, have been on somewhere around 30 meds and had unsuccessful ect, I still believe that meds can provide much-needed relief from an often unbearable condition. I also think it is very dangerous to dismiss psychiatry and meds as a whole, just as it is dangerous to generalize about almost anything. I happen to have found a psychiatrist who insists on providing psychotherapy along with med management (remember when they used to do that?) and she has a much better understanding of my medical and psycho-social needs.
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> Finally, let's remember that Tom Cruise basically suggested taking vitamins and using will power to overcome mental disorders. We're all on this board for a reason - to share info about what does and doesn't work for us and not to lump ourselves into a "one size fits all" category. It definitely behooves us to remain open-minded about different theories about our diseases and even to maintain a healthy skepticism about psychiatry and particularly the pharmaceutical companies and their motivations, but, after doing EVERYTHING I can think of to control my disease, I find the best mode of treatment at the moment still to be meds and therapy, utilizing the framework of the INFORMED patient.
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> Thanks for listening to my rant! LaurenI agree with everything you said. I too have gone through a pharmacy worth of pills and do not respond to ECT. Unfortunately many people are forced by circumstances (e.g. inadequate health plans) to seek help from overworked or uncaring pdocs, so they feel forced into taking pills that don't work and have unpleasant side effects. The result is they blame the entire psychiatric profession for the failure of their psychiatrists to help them.
Most of my pdocs have been good people who tried hard to help me. Because I haven't responded to drugs for a long time doesn't mean that I've given up or that I blame psychiatry. I never got a lot from psychotherapy, either, but I'm willing to give it another go.
I'm glad that drugs are available, I don't regret having ECT, and I wouldn't want my options to be further restricted by someone else's opinions. I always have the option of saying "no" to a treatment.
I.
poster:Ilene
thread:529095
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050718/msgs/529685.html