Army of therapists to push aside pills for depression (prozac doesn't work?)

Guardian ^ | 2-26-08 | Sarah Boseley

[dynachrome]

The government yesterday released details of its £170m plan to train 3,600 more psychological therapists in the wake of a study showing that antidepressant drugs such as Prozac are no more effective than a placebo.

About 900,000 more people will be treated for depression and anxiety under the plan, according to the Department of Health, which predicts that 450,000 of them will be completely cured. The department also believes that 25,000 fewer people will claim sick pay and benefits because of mental health problems.

[dynachrome]

So now I am confused, fer sure.

[al baby]

All I need is some waves and some tasty bud and im happy

[goodnesswins]

I’d be depressed if I lived in the UK, too....it’s going downhill fast.....Muzzies and all.....

[Chickensoup]

The pills are not as effective for depression in mild and moderate depression. That has been known for years. Exercise is as effectve and so is cognitive behavioral therapy

[donna]

More likely they discovered that it is driving people to murder each other and this is their way of getting out of paying civil damages.

[dynachrome]

Get outdoors on a sunny day. Get some exercise.Lots cheaper than psychotherapy.

[steve86]

Yep, that’ll work on a depression that scores 1 or 2 on a scale of 10 (which is lowered mood, not clinical depression).

I take it you’ve never dealt with an individual having an actual diagnosable case of depression.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

"Why do you think you're depressed?"

"Well, Doc, I just lost my job; I owe a mountain of bills; my house is getting foreclosed on, I've been diagnosed with testicular cancer, and my wife just left me for a gay midget."

"Gee, that sucks."

"Thanks, Doc, I feel better already."

[dynachrome]

Might have worked with a couple of ‘em. (I am assuming one that I knew who committed suicide had something wrong)

[dynachrome]

“actual diagnosable case of depression”

I also wonder if it isn’t overdiagnosed as ADD seems to be?

[jwparkerjr]

I have, and I know for a fact the Prozac was very helpful. I had known this person for at least 15 years before she went on Prozac and the difference was like night and day. Once in a while she would decide she didn’t need it anymore and would stop it. It took about four weeks for her to realize just how much it helped.

I have also know of cases where Prozac did no good at all. It seems to be a very per person thing. To me it’s not a matter of how many people it helps, but more of how much it helps those who do respond to it.

[steve86]

Well, I don’t think depression is over diagnosed — clinicians are well aware of nomral mood variability vs. situational depression vs. a biochemical etiology, and depressed patients are typically reluctant to seek treatment (especially men) and/or have too little energy to do so.

My own pet peeve is bipolar disorder — which is a catch-all faddish diagnosis that has really taken of in the last 20 years, irrespective of whether a greater number of patients actually have the disorder.

My position on SSRIs including Prozac is that they do work, sometimes dramatically, on some subgroup of patients, definitely more than half IMO. There isn’t any practical way to identify which ones would benefit ahead of time.

[dynachrome]

Thanks. Bi-polar is probably what I was thinking of.

[steve86]

Yeah, that’s just my experience as well.

Sometimes the SSRI will lose its effectiveness over time and you have to watch for that.

[steve86]

To tell you the truth I’d be more depressed over the Orwellian aspects of the society than the immigrants but that’s a subject for another thread.

[svcw]

I’d rather chew on doggie downer biscuits. Then a doggie upper biscuits, and they keep your teether clean.

[muawiyah]

Bi-polar disorder is hardly a faddish diagnosis. It has been repeatedly demonstrate to "run in families", and when something like that happens you look for genes.

Some genes have been identified that are closely associated with bi-polar disorder. The best guess at this time is that bi-polar is a consequence of have several genes that work together to create the condition under special circumstances.

There are different degrees of this problem and scans of the brain have demonstrated significant physical differences in its victims.

Quick review of where we stand with this may be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23337532/

[Windflier]

“More likely they discovered that it is driving people to murder each other and this is their way of getting out of paying civil damages.”

BINGO!!!

No more entries, please! We have a WINNER!

I’ve been seeing the connection between these psycho school murderers and their taking of anti-depressants (and recent psych “care”) for years. And I’m not the only one.

The connection is being made by a great many people all over the country now, and the evidence that SSRIs actually CAUSE homicidal/suicidal behavior is becoming practically overwhelming. Have a look at this: http://www.ssristories.com/index.php

You bet that some of the psych drug pushers are seeing the handwriting on the wall and are getting out while the getting is good.

[Uri’el-2012]

study showing that antidepressant drugs such as Prozac are no more effective than a placebo.

Except when people quit taking the drugs when
they go nuts and become mass murderers

[Cacique]

btt