simmo wrote:Bob, Earwicker and a few others have characterised many doctors as being too trigger happy with anti-depressants - prescribing them too easily, dishing them out to and Tom, Dick or Harriet who comes through the door moaning about being down in the dumps.

I can see how what I've said could be taken that way but I have also said that if someone wants any drug they should be allowed to have them. I don't even think a doctor needs to come into this equation.
I would say grown adult wants happy pills grown adult gets happy pills.

All I've tried to say is that there are consequences (social ones are the ones I focused on first) I'm not suggesting a ban on the things.
I'm just trying to look at the matter - discuss and debate it so that we can all see the wider picture - primarily because I think the subject is fascinating.
As a result I seem to be viewed as Rick's sidekick in our villainous attempts to force the depressed to stay depressed.

simmo wrote:But what else is a doctor to do, when a patient comes to her ostensibly exhibiting the symptoms of an illness?

I've just said that I'm not even certain that doctors need come into this but here's something I could suggest which I've tried to bring up earlier.

In the early sixties studies were done into the use of LSD to 'cure' various mental conditions. The results of these experiments were promising to say the least (from what I have read) but then western governments flapped about the use of the drug (for whatever reason) and banned use of the stuff. As a result research into a potentially very positive treatment for mental conditions was stopped.

Now what I would suggest is that more doctors start protesting that their investigation into possible treatments for ailments shouldn't be curtailed by the tabloid induced panic of the general public. Rather than just accept the pills given them by Big Pharma they could (from their position of authority on the matter) lobby for restrictions to be lifted on such research.

I'm sure some do do this but I am suggesting more should. They might find it's all a load of bollocks. But they might not - and wouldn't it be nice to know?
In the meantime they can do what they do now.

simmo wrote:And as for these social conspiracy-type theories - what role do doctors play in this? What would be their motivation to be party to such a conspiracy? Doctors aren't government agents.

Doctors are targeted by marketers for big pharma companies (and possibly given 'encouragement' to prescribe particular drugs). The doctor wouldn't need to be an agent of anything or anyone and big pharma don't have to be trying to control society - they just need to want as much money as their greedy little hands can grab.

simmo wrote:this is an internet message board, and the last thing I need is to let something on it make me sad and angry - I have plenty of that in real life, thanks.

Again, I really don't see why people would be getting upset by anything I've said. I've throughout said that everything is just my opinion and I may well be wrong.

Essentially I'm just asking questions of what seemed to be presumed truths. I don't think anyone should presume truths.

Rick Reuben wrote:I was attacked for taking the position that these drugs were overprescribed.

That is not why people got annoyed with you in this thread.

Rick Reuben wrote: I was attacked

Rick Reuben wrote: I don't think it is fair for people to attack me

Rick Reuben wrote:I'm sure I'll be condemned for 'ruining the thread' again shortly.

Rick Reuben wrote:

Seriously, i am so so so sick of this. Everywhere on the board. All the time.

Rick Reuben wrote:Since I now see that Dr. Awkward has also picked up a torch, I will grant the mob what they want- another hiatus.

Meaning, the end of the Rick Reuben character?

hiatus? that's a laugh, let's see how long he can hold out.

[deleted cause quoted post changed]

Ricky Bobby...you remind me of myself...if I had grown up while still remaining a freshman in high school in the way I argued with people.

The answer is not a hiatus...the answer is a fundamental change in the way you treat people on the board. Do you talk to people this way in real life??

..

I'm surprised people get so bent out of shape about Rick Reuben. Yes he can be obnoxious but he's not a person who is in the same room with you, talking at you. He's just words on a screen. You can completely ignore him if you like. Or just respond to the parts of what he's saying that you want to. A sense of humor is useful "mental health"-wise or otherwise. I thought he was being somewhat provocatively interesting up to the point where he started in with his "Coward." business. Then nitpicking about the exact phrasing of what happybored said regarding people who really need/don't need anti-depressants. I view this as a bad mental habit of his that arises out of impatience, perhaps impatience that people aren't getting precisely what he's trying to say. Most people usually don't understand or can't be bothered to work it out on his behalf, but he won't let it go, won't try a different conversational tack, and he just has to get the last word in, even though in doing so he's reverting to something typically unrewarding with a too familiar tendency. But so what? If a part of you didn't masochistically crave having your buttons pushed in this way you wouldn't provoke him back. Being unable to prevent oneself from returning to old unhelpful mental patterns are a part of what's being discussed here anyway. Oh well, I felt like I suddenly had some mental clarity about this.

Also I mentioned before that I had never tried anti-depressants, but then I recalled an aquaintance offering me some Xanax with my beer. It made me fall asleep.

Bob, don't shift the blame by criticizing TMidgett (of all people). That's not going to get you anywhere.

Also, as a general rule of thumb, no one but yourself can stop you from digging your own hole.