Posted by Dr. Bob on October 21, 2002, at 1:08:15
> I'm sure tons of books have been written about this, but how did people cope before there were antidepressants? I'm sure there have been suicides since close to the beginning of time, but for all of the medication that is available, more people than ever are taking their own lives. Are we in a sadder state now than ever?
>
> I wonder if anyone knows if the percentage of people with any kind of psychological problems is more now than, say, 50-100 years ago.
>
> I've heard countless people (usually over 60) say that we have it so much easier now than they did. And I'm sure their grandparents told them the same thing, etc., etc. But society seems so much more complicated now than it even did in the 80s when I was a teen/young adult.
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> Is it just me or are people in general more critical, competitive, self-absorbed, intolerant of others, unfriendly and even ruder, or is it me? Maybe it's always been this way and when I was my younger, better self I was too oblivious to notice or care as much. Is it because so many more people out there (probably including me) have faulty seratonin levels? How long have doctors known about balanced seratonin levels?
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> I'm feeling depressed because I try so often to (kindly and gently ) reach out to others (when I have the confidence), and get to know them, but most of them are just not interested.
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> Just felt like venting tonight. :-S
poster:Dr. Bob
thread:31461
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20021010/msgs/31461.html