Posted by laurenjb on July 18, 2005, at 5:01:40
In reply to Re: Dr. Breggin on Tom Cruise, ritalin and psychiatry., posted by so on July 17, 2005, at 22:24:30
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for listening to my rant! Lauren
poster:laurenjb
thread:529095
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050718/msgs/529419.html