Drugs are useless

Jomp, you have a right to your opinion on depression and how it's supposed to be treated, but it's only that - an opinion. There are multiple ways to treat depression and some ways are better for certain people than others, and you're telling the other ways that they're doing it wrong and they should give up. Not exactly helpful for their treatment, especially considering the unstable moods people with depression tend to have. The proper way to state your opinion on this subject (regardless of who's right) would be "I think the best way to combat depression is by taking initiative at a lifestyle change, especially since this study shows medication is ineffective."

It's fine to express your opinion but as this forum is intended to be a support group it's important to be sensitive to its members.

You're right in thinking you'd get thrown out of the African village for insulting their customs. Maybe if you tried politely offering malaria drugs as an alternative and not an absolute solution?

darkroses wrote:
This simply isn't true.

Yes, it is.

Calling people who are depressed "useless" is arrogant, condascending and plain nasty.

I didn't. Read more carefully.

c6r2QA wrote:Jomp, you have a right to your opinion

Yes, we both have a right to our opinions. Mine just happens to be correct.

c6r2QA wrote: Maybe if you tried politely offering malaria drugs as an alternative and not an absolute solution?

Well done for being naive and completely missing the point.

c6r2QA wrote:you're telling the other ways that they're doing it wrong and they should give up. Not exactly helpful for their treatment, especially considering the unstable moods people with depression tend to have.

Ok, last try...
*edit*
The issue is whether there is any tangible, physiological reason why anti-depressant medication should be used and the answer is spelled out quite clearly from an objective point of view *edit*

What people do with that information is up to them.

There are people in the world who see praying as an effective treatment, those who believe in homoeopathy and those who think they can cast spells to make people better, etc. The list is endless.

These things might work for the people concerned but not for the right reasons.

If I said that I had a 100% reliable, non-drug treatment for depression and it involved poking a toilet brush up your arse, there are those who would try it if it were marketed correctly.

It would work for them because they believed it would, although I'm pretty sure that in a double-blind clinical trial, those who had toilet brushes poked up their bottoms compared to those who had the placebo (maybe a pastry brush), there would be little objective evidence that one had any significant advantage over the other.

If drugs were genuinely effective in their own right then lots more people would get cured despite their belief or state of mind but guess what?

I'm restating myself, so I'm guessing that this is pretty much done.

Alternatively, send me a PM with your address and a credit card number and I'll rush you an "Anti-depression, bristled depression basher" at our very exclusive, limited price of only £9.99 (plus P&P)
Our operators are standing by.

I don't think you're understanding MY point. I know you don't care, I'm saying this forum is for supporting depressed people and that you're expected to act as such while posting here. It is possible for you to be sensitive to the members while simultaneously failing to give a f*ck, flying or otherwise, but if you want to candidly debate about a topic like this there are other forums and mediums to do it on. That being said...

justonemoreperson wrote:There are people in the world who see praying as an effective treatment, those who believe in homoeopathy and those who think they can cast spells to make people better, etc. The list is endless. These things might work for the people concerned but not for the right reasons.

Why does it matter? They were depressed, and now they're not. Problem solved. Even better since praying doesn't cost money or involve toilet brushes in butts.

justonemoreperson wrote:

c6r2QA wrote: Maybe if you tried politely offering malaria drugs as an alternative and not an absolute solution?

Well done for being naive and completely missing the point.

Your method gets you kicked out of the village. My method gets the villagers to take the medicine. Therefore, my method is better.

JOMP - the anti-psych forum isn't too bad a place to post occasionally. It would be good to hear from you there.

As for "re-educating" the bipolar forum, I'm not sure I would describe my efforts in this sense since I was really attempting to share an uncommon perspective regarding medication. I never said that people shouldn't take meds. I used meds in my recovery process. From what I understand, meds can be a huge part of anyone's recovery. What I was clear to point out, not re-educate, was the idea that we can choose to "pursue" a med-free life. This is not to be confused with quitting meds or discontinuing meds without first making major life-changes and a doctor's permission. I think that the pursuit is a great goal, even if it is never realized. So my point is that I don't think I was ever trying to "re-educate" anyone, just point out some different views that can help people become more concious of their decision regarding medicated treatment in the long-term.

I meant no offense by the categorization of people into two groups. It wasn't right of me to do it - Ladyswan is right that support is more important on a forum than the stuff I posted, which divides people. I was just venting a bit from the bipolar forum because sometimes people rip my views, which I feel happens partly because they are only intersted in conventional wisdom as way to passively find "relief" instead of "recovery".