Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Carol Morrisey — Fri, 25 May 2007 03:46:13 GMT

One more thing that can cause depression is celiac disease (gluten intolerance). Celiac has many possible symptoms or no symptoms. It should be suspected in a case of depression for no apparent reason. My son has this, and although it did not cause him to be depressed, it certainly resulted in serious mood swings when he was a child. Kids diagnosed with ADHD might have celiac too.

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Katy B — Sat, 12 May 2007 02:45:54 GMT

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re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Vigorosa — Sat, 12 May 2007 01:48:07 GMT

Depression, even "clinical depression" could be viewed the way we view "fever" today. Years ago, at the slightest elevation of temperature we took our aspirin or acetaminohen to bring fever down. Without realizing the benefit our bodies were providing in raising temperature to help rid us of disease, we used a drug that did more harm than good. Not to compare aspirin to antidepressants (which are far more lethal), but antidepressants can interfere with our ability to heal ourselves. It is possible for Depression, regardless of severity, to go away on its own as part of the disease's natural course. Our systems may need to "slow down" when we are overwhelmed by life's stressors (mental or physical). We need to be more accepting of ourselves, patient in giving ourselves the time it takes to heal, and avoid looking for "the magic bullet" (antidepressants). However, Depression, like fever, needs to be carefully monitored to be sure it is not leading to serious complications. If it is, then antidepressants could be considered. Careful monitoring is likely to include some form of psychotherapy (which is often what some hope to avoid when they decide to take an antidepessant!).

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Witch Doctor — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:53:27 GMT

Depression is more akin to hopelessness, born out of continued anxietizing, than sadness. An experiment was performed on mice or rats, where one group was put in a tank of water in which there was the possibility of getting out ("just out of reach") and the other group in a tank where there was no hope of getting out. The first group swam much longer; the second group gave up long before their point of exhaustion should have set in. The rats were not sad - they were anxious; then they became severely depressed and gave up. Life is like that. If we have been struggling but we can't seem to get anywhere, our brains are programmed to "give up" at some point, as a self-protection mecanism. We can't withstand continued anxietizing and the damage it does.

According to the cognitive behavioral school, anxiety and depression are rooted in cognition, with the emotional disorder being a natural outgrowth. The basic principle is as follows: thoughts determine actions, and good or bad feelings are an outgrowth of productive or counterproductive thoughts and actions. Cognitive behavioral therapy takes guidance (even just a book, such as "Feeling Good" by Dr. David D. Burns) and requires more discipline than "feelings based" therapy, and is more effective. Of course neither therapy would have helped the rats, who were thrust in a real situation that precipitated depression much faster - I don't know how one get rats to have cognitive distortions. Humans can feel the same hopelessness the rats did, though, even without a real danger at hand. Hence the cognitive distortion.

Mark Twain said something like: I've been through some terrible things in my life - a few of which actually happened. Duane

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Lukane — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 04:19:49 GMT

Legalized poison. There are biochemical or anatomical test to indicate when legal medications like insulin, liver hormones, antibiotics, anemia ,blood pressure drugs or before they can burn you with radiation and chemo. Yet a doctor can shove these extemely addictive, neurochemical destroy after suggesting you're a little depressed. Monkey's like DR. Phil try to make brain destroying "meds" sound like a fashion statement. The drug Plaxil if you know and biochemistry has the structure of the drug extacy combined with the highly addicted fluorinates narcotic that gave some junkies parkinsons. Some times you're depressed because you life sucks and you should throw out these pill pushing war criminals and their running dog politicians

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Hopefultoday — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:53:25 GMT

I take an antidepressant. It works for me. My doctor is a very sincere professional who is truly concerned with my health. There are people who could benefit from pharmacutical help. I would like to offer hope to those who have none. Those who are truly depressed know exactly what I mean. If a physical evaluation reveals no health problems, then consider possibility of medication. Work with your doctor and keep him informed of how you are progressing. Take care of yourself.

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

jwhsfo — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:20:19 GMT

With one exception, I concur with the April 2007 Arch. Gen. Psychiat. report that nearly 25% of patients with major depression disorder (MDD) most probably don’t have it: the authors failed to include the syndrome of demoralization in their group of conditions.

Patients who are demoralized (very often due to chronic illness-- medical and psychiatric illnesses), often have a sad mood and other symptoms suggesting they have major depression. However, although they may talk about death and dying ("Sometimes I wish I were dead"), they are seldom actively suicidal. Demoralized patients suffer from a loss of meaning to their lives among other symptoms. Patients with demoralization often have a reactive mood, i.e. when something good happens to them, they feel better and their sad mood lessens. These patients are almost always not responsive to usual antidepressant medications and yet many are prescribed one of these drugs. Psychotherapy is helpful for such patients and there are some elderly patients who may benefit from psychostimulant treatment.

Adding the patients mentioned in the above Arch. Gen. Psychiat, cited by Dr. Mercola today (4/17/2007) to the patients with demoralization and subtracting the total from all patients receiving antidepressant medication for possible major depression, the number with true major depression would be considerably reduced. The numbers of patients with a sad mood (but not major depression) receiving antidepressants would fall considerably.

It is my contention that too many people equate a sad mood with treatable major depression and that far more careful diagnostic work needs to be done before antidepressant medications are prescribed.

References:

Clarke, Kissane, Australia and New Zealand J. of Psych 2002;36:733-742

Mangelli, et.al. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2005;66:391-394.

James W Hawkins, MD, Geriatric Psychiatry

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

samurai — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:14:41 GMT

Correct me if I am wrong, but when we are depressed about something, isn't it a red flag that there is something in our lives that we should just change?
Isn't depression the smoke and not the fire?
But oh wait I'm sorry, that Pfizer rep who is being paid quite well is telling you that you are all crazy and you were born that way--"chemical imbalance"...
Pity, pity, pity.

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

healthstar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:34:20 GMT

I don't believe antidepressants should ever be taken. They are toxic to our bodies and have lots of side-effects. People take anti-depressants as a magic bullet and it doesn't help. A good way of dealing with depression is through the use of PURE essential oils, like those from Young Living Essential Oils. Counselling is also a good option, in addition to the oils.

Mirdza
Helping People Lead Healthier Lives

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Elizabeth Botes — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:18:54 GMT

I believe that the overprescription of antidepressants links up with the overuse of sleeping aids, painkillers and even tobacco. It is no longer acceptable to take a simple time out - there has to be some "acceptable" reason for it such as a "diagnosis of depression" for a few days rest, "I took a sleeping tablet" for not waking on demand, a "smoke break" to, ironically, spend 10 minutes just breathing.

We should stop chasing each other in our affluenza induced haze and allow ourselves time outs without having to be "sick" to take them.

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

helpingheart — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:09:02 GMT

For me Splenda/Sucralose caused my temporary "depression" for all the time I was using it, in protein bars and protein shakes. My guess is probably many others are becoming depressed because they are using Splenda/sucralose and their Doctors are putting them on drugs for the depression that was caused by using this poison artificial sweetener.

If you know someone who is depressed, find out if they are using any artificial sweeteners aka poison, may be the cause of their depression.

http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/Do-the-Makers-of-Splenda-Know-Something-They-Aren-t-Telling-You--7900.aspx

Just a thought, but it seems like these greedy companies have gotten together to make money to - make people think they are using a zero calories artificial sweetener and then to drug people out of their chemical/sucralose induced depression.

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

pinkskittles — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 23:10:25 GMT

I used to be "depressed" and was on anti-depressants. I found them completely debilitating. It's not that I was no longer depressed, it's that I couldn't feel at all. I just didn't even want to be anymore. It made me have more body odour and completely killed my sex drive. I was just a vegetable. That in itself is more depressing than I was without the drugs.

I know people who've developed a dependency on them because they're convinced they need them and that it's helping them. Their dosages are so high I don't even know if it's possible to get off of them without them killing themselves. This is really dangerous stuff and I am 100% against them.

Oh, and those psychiatric hospitals that work in conjunction with them? Not good either. Those make you 1. Think you're crazy from being around everyone who is diagnosed as crazy; 2. Make you depressed even more. The whole medical system put in place to help "depressed" and persons with mental disorders is completely brainwashing and dangerous. All mind/hormone altering drugs are dangerous to the body. Actually, I think it's safe to say that all drugs in general are dangerous.

I'm so glad I'm off of those antidepressants and I just wish everyone who is on them knew that it doesn't have to be like that and that they can live full and productive lives in society without them. Healthy diet and exercise (especially the latter) are key in getting your mood up.

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

enzo — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:39:08 GMT

Prior to the market onslaught of "miracle" drugs, which by and large are a product of 20th Century medicine and pharmacopeia, suicide was statistically non-existent throughout the world cultures. Depression, and suicide occurred of course, they were however a rarity.

The days of alchemy have returned…and the neo-alchemists are killing a trusting and ignorant public.

"Patient, heal thyself."

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

vince_203 — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 04:46:04 GMT

The marketing of ssris as antidepressant drugs that treat a chemical inbalance is just an absolutely brilliant piece of marketing. It accomplishes three thinks 1.It helps people remove the social stigma associated with mental problems 2 It takes the responsibility for your emotional well being away from you and puts it in the hands of the experts. 3. It makes a ton of money .But before we all run to the nearest drug store and get this wonder drug so we can all dance happily on the beach- just like the happy people on the commercials; lets just look at a couple of things. None of it is based on very good science. There is no measurement of serotonin levels that indicates depression. No blood test or other advanced diagnostic tool to ascertain serotonin levels. It is an artificial sales tool used to market these products. They don't work very well only slightly better that placebo .The real question is were are all the happy people who take these drugs .Finally they have dreadful side effects. While serotonin can cause a happy feeling especially when produced thur exercise or sunlight in basically happy people the way they market these drugs is highly deceptive. You know the local bartender is trying to link social phobia(shyness} to a deficiency of gin. It just might work

re: Are Antidepressants Ever Necessary?

Josh Rubin — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:03:15 GMT

Here are my thoughts on low serotonin (which is tryptophan-5HTP = serotonin):

1. Alerted nutrition (increased insulin levels) cause most amino acids to be swept out of the body

2. Altered sleep cycles and levels of melatonin, will decrease serotonin stores

3. There is research to show (by Julia Ross in Mood Cure and Diet Cure, as well as in the Second Brain by Michael Gershoon) to show that 90% of the serotonin in the body is produces in the gut. It is there to assist with digestion, peristalsis and to signal a part of our brain to tell us that we have eaten/are satisfied. So I have found that poor nutrition, parasites, fungus, bacterial overgrowths, leaky gut, low SIgA and so forth all have an affect on this.

What if I were to tell you that with organic foods, holistic lifestyle principles, a protocol to heal the gut, eliminate any parasites, fungus and bacteria, as well as the AA tryptophan or 5HTP can help treat this?