A comment showed up today outlining a situation where a million and one different meds were tried all to no avail but the person was able to get to a better position in life simply by a lot of hard work. This relates back to a very old argument that is not likely to slow down any time soon which is nature versus nurture or were you born with a mental health disorder or did someone teach it to you.
Depression is a disorder that is hotly debated whether it is a cause of a chemical imbalance or it is a condition that was created by poor decision making, emotional control and circumstance. If it is a chemical balance the best course of action is medication that will settle the brain chemicals but if it is the latter theory then the best response is therapy. What do I think? When I am on the right med my illness is tamer but it does not go anywhere and only through a lot of hard work and therapy will my depression ever be in check. I see anti depressants as a tool but not a cure. The meds calm down all of the distracting elements of the disorder so I can focus on the main problem which in my case is a faulty thinking process and a pass that will not go away. Anti depressants equal huge profits for drug manufactures who lean towards the chemical imbalance because that is where the money is. We live in a society where everyone wants action now and unfortunately too many people believe that an antidepressant is the solution when chances are all they needed was time and to create an ass groove on a therapists couch.
Borderline Personality Disorder is a Personality Disorder but right now there is a movement to get it classified as a mood disorder. For the longest time people believed that BPD was taught and a result of circumstances but lately there is this movement pushing for a brain defect. A personality disorder can not be treated easily with medication for there is nothing wrong with the chemical makeup of the brain. Again the best course of action is therapy to unlearn the negative thought process’s which lead to the disorder but if it is a brain defect then it opens the door to medication which leads to profit for the fat cats at the drug manufacture head office. DBT or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy has shown tons of success for people with BPD so it kind of makes you wonder who is responsible for all of the “new” research and studies that keeps coming out, yes I am being sarcastic.
When it comes to a disorder that is routed in nurture the best cure is hard work and therapy with meds coming into play for a small percentage of people to provide a small role in cleaning out the mind so it is easier for the person to focus. When the disorder starts way before parenting begins then meds do play a key role as all of the therapy in the world is not going to fix a brain glitch or a chemical imbalance. The problem right now is too many people are asking their doctor for some chemical help when the person should be asking for a referral to a therapist.
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Well said. Antidepressants (the right ones) bring me to a place where I can get out of bed so that I can actually go to therapy – where the real work gets done!
I was diagnosed years ago with ‘chronic depression’. I didn’t feel down all the time or anything like that, I was short tempered, hated life in general, couldn’t stand people and was bitchy almost 24/7. I sought help only because of how I was treating my loved ones.
Anyway my point is, I’ve been off and on a ton of different medications. Most of which, didn’t do a thing for me. The last one I was prescribed was Wellbutrin SR. If I wasn’t suicidal before, I was when I was taking that crap. I would drive down the road and think actively about veering the car off the overpass in the hopes that it would end it all. I kept thinking that my family was better off without me and that I was worth more dead, than alive.
I decided then that I needed to just stop and pursue another avenue than just meds alone. Why all the docs I’ve seen over the years didn’t talk to me about starting therapy, I have no clue… maybe they thought they’d just give me a little pill and I’d just go away? I don’t know.
Truthfully, most of the docs I went to, only prescribed meds and just figured that was the ‘magic bullet’ when in reality, every single time I was one an anti-depressant, I wanted to die.
Absolutely!
I was really shocked when I moved to US how much Amricans depend on medication. Every caugh is met with antibiotics, every second child or so is diagnosed with ADHD and given medication, etc.
I believe it is very wrong.
I think it all in our brains, and the chemicals are only the mechanism that our brains use to act one or another way… If you look at it from that point of view, your approach to the problem seem to be just perfect
Regards, Misha
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When I was referred from my family doc to my psychiatrist I figured it would be a combo of meds and therapy. Nope first thing the new doctor said is he just does meds and not talk therapy.
If my experience over the years is at all indicative, then it’s all an absolute crap shoot. Getting better requires getting lucky where a doc and therapist are concerned. Timing is very important too. Sometimes we’re not in a position where we can be reached, be it with therapy, drugs, whatever. Sometimes we aren’t. Who knows why that is?
We’re still in the dark ages where neuroscience is concerned.
I like your blog.
Peace.
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