--#1 the large majority of people using SSRIs are NOT mentally ill (if by that term you mean people who have a psycotic disorder eg schizophrennia)BTW it is very unfortunate that anyone having emotional or psychological problems would be stigmatized
#2 when SSRIs work that can have very positive effects and do not make people feel or look drugged etc.However,some(im my experience not that many) people do have significant side effects however these effects typically cease once the medication has been withdrawn or changed(under the supervision of a competent psychiatrist. Kevin - In [email protected], anonymousff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- 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. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
