[Jack Hydrazine]

I’d like to see the statistics of people who have benefited from psychiatry in a constructive way, not just medicated with prescription drugs.

[HiTech RedNeck]

By excepting the practice of medicine (that’s why it’s psychIATRY not psychOLOGY) you bias the question and I rightly protest. Modern medications have eased the task of dealing with both acute and chronic brain disorders, and need not be taken forever if used for an acute problem any more than a patient needs to take an antibiotic forever. The medications work nicely and are the reason that we no longer have huge, sprawling insane asylums in this society. For longer term counseling, patients see psychologists — that is cheaper.

[I Shall Endure]

I’m one. The right medication for my bipolar symptoms has changed my life a 1000% for the better.

There’s certainly quackery in the field, but when it works the way it’s supposed to, it’s a true godsend.

[dmz]

I’d like to see the statistics of people who have benefited from psychiatry in a constructive way, not just medicated with prescription drugs.

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Don’t have that for you, Jack, just an anecdotal story of my bipolar mom, who at age 65 went off the proverbial rocker, and has had to be committed 4 or 5 times now when she goes off the meds and becomes dangerously psychotic.

Without the meds, she’d be dead and may have taken a few people with her. She self medicated with booze and liked to go for drives.

[ronnyquest]

"I’d like to see the statistics of people who have benefited from psychiatry in a constructive way, not just medicated with prescription drugs."

Then you want to see statistics on psychological counseling, not psychiatry.