Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Do antidepressants work?
BonesMS:
--- Quote from: Dr. Richard Grossman on August 02, 2011, 02:53:08 PM ---Hi Bones and Sunblue,
Thanks for your comments.
As I have posted here over the years, my belief is that depression is a complicated phenomenon—both biologically and also psychologically. My experience with Celexa—and again, one can only speak for oneself when talking about these drugs--was that it was crude. It was if all the information in my brain was being channeled through one small serotonergic happy circuit. To experiment when I was on the drug, I would try to get my brain to “hold onto” negative or painful thoughts. I couldn’t do it. So, of course my depression scale numbers dropped to “normal” levels. As a result, Celexa felt like a vacation drug—a nice, relaxing escape from real life. Still, it is a comfort to know that I’m always three weeks to the day away from being on vacation should I choose. No travel or passport required…
Richard
--- End quote ---
You're very welcome, Richard.
Bones
sKePTiKal:
I haven't weighed in on this topic, because I've not taken antidepressants (that I am aware of anyway).
But, tt brings up a point that connected with my experience of all drugs -- I too have some weird reactions to certain Rx; and have to start with the lowest dosage possible, or deal with unexpected effects. And I wonder, from the neuroscience perspective, if these drugs to alter brain/body function have these unexpected effects...
because our brains have developed differently, coping with our childhood difficulties?? Like our wires are crossed in areas of the brain... or in synapse connections... so that a drug to enhance positive emotions, say, would do the opposite in us (and perhaps that's why so many of the drugs list worsening depression and suicidal thoughts as a side effect)?
If that theory is true - even if only half the time - then perhaps my fear of these drugs makes sense. Because how would a T - much less the garden variety M.D. - know which patient had which type of brain? Heck, I didn't even know what evil lurked in my childhood brain, until my T helped me feel safe enough to unlock those old memories... and given my issue with self-harm... and the misuse of doctoring by my mom, for emotional pain... well. Even if someone gives me samples, I don't take them.
And perhaps my bigger issue with the current fashion in throwing these drugs at everyone is, why is everyone so sure that "happy" is the more normal state for humans?? How much "happy" is normal? Does that much happy cancel out empathy? Motivation to give to others? If one is totally 100% happy - there's not any inspiration, motivation, or creativity impulses are there? And how much depression warrants the experimentation with these drugs? Shouldn't you have to take a test or be evaluated for a certain level of depression to "qualify"? So that, one doesn't end up medicating a temporary emotional phase... which needs to resolve - in a more healthy fashion - on it's own.
Dr. Richard Grossman:
Hi Hops,
I agree with your post entirely. Anti-depressants have helped millions of people, and I’m glad they were invented. I will always remember one of my dear patients, decades ago, shortly before he died, laughing and telling me: “you should try one of these things!” (SSRI’s were new at that point). The drug made a big difference in his last year. But as you say, for many people there are other ways of changing the brain as well. I’m glad you found ways that work for you.
Hi tt,
You’re right, IMO. Everyone has to find what works for them. And sometimes that means (under Dr. supervision) altering the dose—or if your doctor will prescribe the meds experimenting with reasonable off-label uses. I’m glad you found what works for you, too!
Hi PR,
Most doctors (more primary care physicians are prescribing anti-depressants these days than psychiatrists) prescribe anti-depressants on a trial basis: give it a try, and if it works, good—if not, we’ll try something else. Because we know so little about brain “types” (and we can only speculate about how the drugs work), that’s the best they can do. Because the side-effect profile is so minor (in most cases), I think the trial and error strategy is appropriate.
Thanks for re-raising the issue of whether it is “normal” to be happy. Statistically speaking happy is normal. But so is positive self-deception (consider, for example, the recent finding that 90% of doctors believe they are in the top 10% of their profession—sorry, I don’t mean to pick on doctors!) Here’s a controversial extension of the debate: in yesterday’s Boston Globe there was a review of a book examining the positive effect of “mental illness” on leadership:
http://articles.boston.com/2011-08-03/ae/29847067_1_mental-illness-genius-and-insanity-crisis
The book, A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness is by Nassir Ghaemi, and the review by Alice Gregory. Apparently, the point made by Ghaemi (I haven’t read the book) is that at least for some people (and certainly the opposite has also been true for many or most leaders), the attributes of mental illness allowed people to be better leaders. Could/would Lincoln have done what he did if he had not been severely depressed—and, thus, been such a “realist”? How about Churchill? (And as the author points out, neither would have gotten the chance today to serve if their depression became public.)
But back to the point. Is happiness “normal”? Should people be striving for happiness? Many people can “find” happiness through anti-depressants, but at what cost? Is the cost worth it (as teartracks asks and answers above)? For me, personally, these are not simple questions. For example, whatever value this website/message board may have, it would not exist if I were a person of “normal” happiness. I’ll stop here. What do you/everyone think?
Richard
BonesMS:
Would, or should, artificial, drug-induced happiness be our goal; especially given that very little is known how the brain is REALLY wired and works? I sense that "No" would be an answer to that question. At the same time, when struggling with suicidal depression and PTSD flash-backs from surviving an Nparent's insanity, then what? Are there any answers at all when anti-depressants don't work and there are no professionals available that understand Survivors of N's issues?
Just thinking.........
Bones
Lollie:
"Happiness is not always the best way to be happy."--Judith, Where the Wild Things Are
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