Posted by SLS on May 29, 2005, at 15:06:22
In reply to Meds need vs addiction?? what do you think?, posted by rainbowbrite on May 29, 2005, at 12:06:29
Hi RB.
It is always dangerous to generalize to such a degree as to use the word "we". "We" represents a mosaic of interactions between psychological and physiological needs for which no one answer to your question can apply.
I can only guess that the majority of people posting on Psycho-Babble whom suffer from a properly diagnosed mood disorder needs a biological intervention of some sort to help treat a long-term or short-term dysregulation of important physiologic processes. Often, these processes are deranged by psychosocial stress, in which case the stress is best treated with psychotherapy alongside the biological therapy. Unfortunately, once these abnormal processes are triggered, they can perpetuate themselves and become free-running, even in the absence of psychosocial stress. In these cases, it is absolutely necessary to intervene with a biological treatment.
In my opinion, with a few possible exceptions, there is no antidepressant that is truly addictive. Many, however, induce an accomodation by the body as the body compensates for its presence. To discontinue one of these drugs too quickly disallows the body to accomodate to a drug-free state as the changing biology cannot keep pace with the changing drug exposure. Some call this physiologic accomodation "dependence". Regardless of what we choose to call it, it is not a true addiction. With addiction exist powerful physiological cravings and psychological habituation.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:504713
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050527/msgs/504787.html