CurlTalk - View Single Post

curlyarca · 01-04-2006, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuZen

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaVidaCurly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurlee

Depends on what defines mental illness.

Having schizophrenia is having a mental illness to me. Depression is not in a way; Seems almost all people suffer from this one time in their life, at least. Not all in a very serious way, but still.

I tend to agree with this and possibly that bipolar is considered a form of schizophrenia? Although, I don't know too much about either. My godson was just diagnosed with bipolar/schizophrenia. He is only four and on meds.

But, regarding depression... I once had a roommate who took "meds" and loved how great it made her feel and how it was such a "high". And a lot of her friends also took meds for "depression/stress". So, I do question what exactly these drugs are. I don't think people need it as much as they think they do.

I mean how do you know you really have a chemical imbalance? And to what degree? Drug companies are making a ton of money off of anti-depressants. If you make bad choices in your life you do suffer the consequences and either you learn to accept it or change things. Life is a learning process and it isn't always easy.

But, if meds give you some sort of high and can help people get up in the morning. What the hell. But, then accept it for what it is. And it could end up causing more damage than good.

Bipolar disorder is not a form of schizophrenia, although sometimes the same medication is used to treat both. A four-year-old diagnosed with both? Seems very odd.

These medications don't give you a high and people who take them would pretty much universally rather stop taking them.

Chemical imbalance is real, not a theory. Depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are not the result of bad life choices or poor parenting -- they are actual diseases.

Although I work for a drug company, I am very much in favor of using counseling or other additional therapy as well as medication. If people can find a way to deal with their illness without medication, that's the best outcome possible. But there are people who need medication to function relatively normally.

I recently read the book 72-Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell, which gives a very graphic account of bipolar disorder. Worth reading.

ita. have been looking for that book...