irresponsible Newspeak article and headline

[ldo]

Don't buy the article or you'll encourage them. You can read it online at their site if you want. The headline on the front said "Antidepressants Don't Work". It seems to me that, for someone who'd severely depressed, that's like a headline that says "Go Ahead and Kill Yourself". Fortunately, it's not accurate, especially for the severely depressed. The article admits that. For others, it's saying that the stuff works no better than placebo. However, I smell a rat. I think they must have included studies that didn't allow enough time, or that patients were studied who were not correctly diagnosed or had trivial problems. If my experience was placebo effect, then I must have a very creative and powerful imagination in a particular way that I haven't seen before or since. I mean, I didn't really expect an antidepressant to make me nearly manic at times, having no particular history with that problem previously. I also didn't expect the extent of emotional flatness I had at first. Plus, the timing was at about two weeks. I kinda think a placebo effect would be faster, even if I knew how long it was supposed to take.

Anyway, I think it was extremely irresponsible for them to put that headline up. Perhaps they should have said something like "Antidepressants don't work very well when improperly prescribed" or "Antidepressants may not always work".

[bluelikejazz]

If you mean the newsweek article there's already a discussion on it.

I think they must have included studies that didn't allow enough time, or that patients were studied who were not correctly diagnosed or had trivial problems.

The newsweek article states the studies he used were the ones given to the FDA in support of the drugs.

Fortunately, it's not accurate, especially for the severely depressed

You're right, the article says that medication isn't first line treatment for mild or even moderate depression. I think ADs do tend to do better than placebo for severe depression.

I mean, I didn't really expect an antidepressant to make me nearly manic at times, having no particular history with that problem previously. I also didn't expect the extent of emotional flatness I had at first.

Placebo doesn't necessarily mean "imagined". There's an article if you're interested or an easier to read blog.

The mania could be a side effect. I'm sorry the particular drug you tried didn't work out for you. There is hope but it sometimes takes more than the first pill you are given.

[ldo]

It worked very well, actually. It's just that the side effects were obnoxious and it turns out I could get away with something else after a year. But if I was really depressed again I'd be perfectly willing to take Prozac again.

I started a thread here because it's about a medication. Plus I didn't look for the other one since I would have expected it here.

I'm sorry the particular drug you tried didn't work out for you. There is hope but it sometimes takes more than the first pill you are given.