Sunday Papers

"Tiffany" wrote in message
...

"Moon Shyne" wrote in message
...

"Tiffany" wrote in message
...

"denanson" Dennis@Large .ie wrote in message
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http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print...102285,00.html

snip

As for the hike in prescribed anti-depressants..... even in teens....
we
are
in a society that is looking for a quick fix. Though I know that those
meds
CAN help, what helps the most in the long run in therapy in one form
or
another. When someone tells me they are on anti-depressants, I like to
ask
them how long they have been on the med. Sometimes its years. But they
are
still depressed. Think about it.

In many cases, depression is caused by a chemical imbalance that
requires
on-going drug therapy, in exactly the same way that diabetics need to
keep
taking insulin on an on-going basis to stay healthy. My mom has been on
Parkinson's meds for years - yet she still has Parkinson's, and it
continues to
affect her more and more over time. Taking her meds hasn't made the
disease
magically go away.


Tiff said.........


But the sysmthoms go away or improve. My point is those on the drugs but
are
still depressed.



This is me.......

Meds for Parkinsons are intended to help control the symptons, they don't
exactly go away. Meds for depression help to stabilize the symptoms, they
don't exactly just go away.

Therapy for depression goes hand in hand with treatment by medications.
Why? Not to get to the root of it. That's a the misunderstanding. Therapy
is necessary to learn about, and develop cognitive coping skills. The
treating practitioner would need to know, upon diagnosis, how deep the
depression is. If the person has been untreated for a number of years, it
will take a number of years to get back in balance.

Moonshine said......
When you ask someone how long they've been on a med, do you also ask
them
if
they're depressed? Or is this simply a determination that you make on
your own?
How do you, or the person taking the meds, quantify the depression?



My turn.........
The only one capable of "qualifying" the depression is the treating
practitioner. Typically, anyone initially seeking treatment help is beyond
coping, let alone articulating for those that not informed.


Tiff said......

Moon, they tell me they are depressed. I do not make medical diagnoses.
What
do you mean how does one qualify the depression? If they have been
properly
diagnosed, they know there is a list of questions a doctor should ask.
Depending on the patient answers, the doctor will make a diagnose. This is
in regards to depression, not more severe issues like bi-polar. People
will
typically know when they are depressed.


LOL,,,,sorry, that made me laugh. Here's a scenario for you....

You stand in the soup isle of the grocery store,,,,,and you have a list in
your hand....and you look at your list. and you look at the shelf. You
forget what you're looking for. You look at your list. You look at the
shelf. you look at the shelf. you keep looking. Five minutes pass. You
look around. What was it that you wanted? Then you think, oh silly me, I'm
having an episode.



Yes, depression can be caused by a chemical imbalance. What promotes that
imbalance? Heredity?

Indicates a succeptability


Learned behavior?

No


Trauma?

Could, yup.


All the above. Folks that
tend to be depressed and stay depressed years after being on a med
typically
are so because they for whatever reason, have not dealt with the cause of
the depression.


Taking medication IS dealing with the physiological side of it. Recognizing
triggers, understanding symptoms(that's hard), developing coping skills by
actively participating in cognitive behavior therapy is the other part of
dealing with it.

There in lies the point Joelle made and a very good point it
is. People come to their own realization in their own time. What it sounds
like you are saying is it is caused by a chemical imbalance which won't
go
so a patient needs to stay on the drugs just like a diabetic. That is bull
****. Those cases are like I just stated are the ones that won't deal with
WHY they are depressed.



You know what? There's a program on the cable networks called "Out of
Order" . Try watching it with an open mind. The story is about a husband
and wife writing team, the character of the wife is clinically depressed.
Pretty frickin real depiction of what it's like living with someone that is
clinically depressed.

Lisa