The depressing news about antidepressants

[SFG75]

The depressing news about antidepressants

Wow, this is in the words of Donald Trump, HOOOGE!, really HOOOGE! Some interesting research has been prodcued that clearly shows an effectiveness rate of placebo, and that in all reality, the placebo effect explains why SSRIs work. I remember years ago that meds were rumored to at some point in time, make psychotherapy out of date.

[Jez]

Another winning article from Newsweek. Yes, it could be that antidepressants are as effective as a placebo, but that's also likely because most people taking antidepressants don't actually have a physical problem causing their depression. I.E. they don't actually need the pills they're taking. So the pills do nothing, not because they are ineffective, but because the problem that they treat doesn't exist in most people.

Everyone and their brother "has" depression and "needs" medication. If so many people actually have malfunctioning brains, then that may be something to be concerned about (that's about 10% of the US population with malfunctioning brains. Might explain some elections). What's more likely? It's more likely that everyone and their brother has less than ideal lives with enough things happening to make them sad, frustrated, etc. Our culture of "no personal responsibility" fosters the mad rush toward the quick fix of happy pills to cure all maladies.

[Fish Lady]

depression is real. Sometimes it's situational and the meds help you while you get counseling or to a point where they can cope with what is causing the problems. Sometimes it really IS a chemical imbalance.

And that's all I'll say about that.

[libri vermis]

Anxiety and depression meds are to treat the physical symptoms of the disorder. Therapy is needed to get to the root of the problem. And once you learn where the problem lies, self-therapy will be a constant in your life. There is no "miracle" cure that can be provided by either a pill or a doctor. There may be a few cases where the symptoms are strictly physical or a result of a chemical imbalance, but from my experience, this is the rare exception.

<----been through years of therapy for GAD, SA, OCD, PD, D, addiction, and specific phobias.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Jez

Another winning article from Newsweek. Yes, it could be that antidepressants are as effective as a placebo, but that's also likely because most people taking antidepressants don't actually have a physical problem causing their depression. I.E. they don't actually need the pills they're taking. So the pills do nothing, not because they are ineffective, but because the problem that they treat doesn't exist in most people.

Everyone and their brother "has" depression and "needs" medication. If so many people actually have malfunctioning brains, then that may be something to be concerned about (that's about 10% of the US population with malfunctioning brains. Might explain some elections). What's more likely? It's more likely that everyone and their brother has less than ideal lives with enough things happening to make them sad, frustrated, etc. Our culture of "no personal responsibility" fosters the mad rush toward the quick fix of happy pills to cure all maladies.

Edit for clarification: I don't think that all depressed people don't need medication. I think that very few of the people prescribed medication for depression actually need it, though some do.

[SFG75]

Right you are libri. There are physical changes that occur with that kind of medicine. Weight gain and feeling light headed are but a few. I know this as many of the students I work with, are walking PDR directories!