--- In [email protected], anonymousff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
--- In [email protected], "shanti2218411" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Also I don't think there is anything like universal agreement re the
> effectiveness of SSRIs.However to be fair I think the same thing can
> be said of psychotherapy.
My primary interest in the SSRI discussion relates to misconceptions
about the drugs and their effects. Two primary positions have emerged
on this list that I hold are false, and can be quite harmful to
individuals who could benefit from treatment, and society as a whole.
Kevin, Peter, Easyone, Stokes if he is around, and other medical and
mental health professionals, could you post your views on these two
statements about SSRIs.
1) All people who take SSRIs are mentall ill.
This view, when propogated, can stigmitize any and all users, and
cause many who could benefit from treatment to shy away from it. At
great harm to themselves and society. SSRIs, when effective, increase
serotonin and/or other neurotransmittors to normal levels. Having
subnormal levels is a physiologic condition parallel to any number of
other physiologic conditions: low thyroid, low blood sugar, high blood
pressure, low estergen levels, etc. While physiologic in nature, they
all can affect mental and emotional functions. However to classify an
SSRI user as mentally ill, is equivalent to labeling a diabetic
mentally ill. Or a woman with PMS as mentally ill. (Jokes aside, think
of the horrific political, economic and social ramifications of such a
position.)
2) SRRIs make the user tranquilized and/or high, anestisized, numb,
obvlivious to pain (and pleasure), unnaturally blissey or polyannish,
without inhibitions, escapist, way relaxed -- like vallium, etc.
These attributes have nothing to do with the responses I have
heard directly, or seen in studies from SSRI users. A common response
is that people feel natural and themselves again. That something was
out of kilter and now its back in balance. To equate SRRI use with the
above attributes, other than being uninformed, again stigmitizes users
and more importantly potential users who could benefit substantially
from the drug.
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