Posted by jumpy on February 16, 2003, at 9:19:33
In reply to Re: Ritch:Juggling Meds and Frustrating life » jumpy, posted by Ritch on February 15, 2003, at 22:35:15
Quick Preface Mitch ... I am not sure if I am coming across as arguementative ... these are sincere questions and I have high regard for your opinion ... I apologize in advance if I am coming across like a jerk
> > I found that many of these chronically "unhappy" people are infact mentally ill. Most meet criteria for dysthmia or cyclothmia and respond to psychiatric medication. Would you agree?
>
> The stickler is the term "criteria". That gets very philosphical. I suppose it would be entirely possible for *everyone* to be responsive in a positive way to psychiatric medication of some form or other. Huxley's "Brave New World" comes to mind (for good or ill).When I refer to response to a medication, I mean a dramatic change in one's mood state. Psychiatric medication should give people *potential*. They should not make people happy or sad, but give them the potential to experience these emotions in the appropriate environment. So if everyone did have this response to medication, I would agree everyone should take them. In reality, most people without mental illness do not experience a dramatic change in there mood in that the medications allow to final experience appropriate emotions.
> Notions about perfection are often cultural ones. American culture is probably the harshest in regard to intolerance of imperfection.
This is definately true ... I live in NYC and I know this contributes to my difficulties. The standard of living here is so high that it can make anyone feel inadequate.
> The success of SSRI medications probably has much to do with their ability to facilitate "disengagement" with "authoritative" others (parents,i.e.). When I tried Prozac for the first time in 1992, just a few weeks elapsed before I realized that I didn't really give a shit what my parents thought anymore. I stopped trying to convince them that their thoughts were "wrong" and my thoughts were "right". They just became other people that just happened to have different opinions that happened to be my parents. Just other people, not God.
>So was this a good thing or bad thing? Is it better to "disengage" and develope "emotional numbness" to your problems, or better to be proactive and attempt to resolve your problems?
Thanks,
Jumpy
poster:jumpy
thread:140790
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030214/msgs/200870.html