Cynicism is an attitude of sneering dismissiveness, no more defensible than
gullibility. Skepticism is the philosophy of the scientific method. In the
case of treatment for psychological disorders, skepticism is sorely called
for. Most people with such disorders do not experience relief from
treatment--neither psychotherapeutic nor psychopharmacologic.
Anti-depressants have a woeful record in efficacy studies and evidence of
effectiveness is no better. This is not cynicism. Cynicism is the method
of the pharmacology and psychotherapy industries.
Paul Okami
----- Original Message -----
From: "Annette Taylor, Ph. D." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)"
<[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 1:31 PM
Subject: [tips] Re: SSRIs and depression and anxiety
Thanks to those who provided useful comments.
I am a little surprised at the cynicism and skepticism expressed by
many of the respondents. I had a sense of an underlying belief that
the disorders are perhaps non-existent as well, which I found a bit
offensive and insensitive. At least I felt offended by some of the
responses for their lack of sensitivity to the disorders.
I have studied the effects of SSRIs in anxiety and understand the
putative mechanism fairly well; in terms of depression I believe that
the comorbidity link is closest to what I talked about in class. In
depression in fact, there are anxiety-like symptoms in the sense of
ruminative (almost obsessive type) thinking. For those people for whom
the drugs do work, I believe the enhanced serotonin in the synapse
provides an important inhibitory effect. In fact, in panic attacks it
is my understanding that when these drugs work they don't necessarily
prevent the full autonomic response, they simply reduced the conscious
cognitive component of panicky mind.
Annette
Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D.
Professor of Psychology
University of San Diego
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
619-260-4006
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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