Antidepressants work no better than Placebos 82% of the time (CNN)

[BusynMember]

I heard this today and thought I'd pass it on. I believe it's true, HOWEVER the doctor on TV said that antidepressants DO work on the severely depressed (that's definitely me). I know they work for me. Mild/medium depression not so much--they recommend therapy and exercise. Thought I'd pass it along.

 

[SRL]

Interesting results but I also read that it was a small study sample so findings are being questioned.

People are being strongly urged NOT to discontinue medications based on this study alone, but to always seek your doctor's advice before making medication changes.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225213742.htm

 

[smallworld]

I've also read studies out of NIMH that SSRI antidepressants (specifically Prozac) are more effective than placebo for treating childhood anxiety. But the most effective treatment is a combination of an SSRI and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Some docs believe that SSRIs do help more with anxiety than depression.

In the case of my own kids, we haven't had a whole lot of luck with SSRIs. Collectively, they have had bad reactions (mostly disinhibition and mania) to Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa and Lexapro (and I'll throw in the SNRI Effexor). Not a great track record in this family. When the psychiatrist recently wanted to switch M from Prozac to another SSRI, I said no. We chose a different class of antidepressants.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

easy child's best bud has depression (so does her dad). She has been on medications for several years. The first thing the therapist tells/asks her mom when E is showing some increased symptoms is "has she been exercising every day?/have her exercise daily". And it really does work in E's case. It really helps her overall state of mind.

I think it's a lesson for all of us!

Sharon

 

[meowbunny]

Being one of those who gets hit with stress-related depression, I've found that if I start exercising and eating properly, I can get out of the depression relatively quickly without medications. However, if I let it go and get into a deep depression, I have major problems. AD medications really don't work for me. Then it takes intensive therapy, a total removal from whatever the stressors were (if at all possible) plus the usual exercise and diet. So, this study really doesn't surprise me.

 

[BusynMember]

I have no idea if this accurate or not. Anti-depressants literally saved my life as in I'd be dead without them. There's no placebo affect for me as when I'm depressed (and I get suicidal, unable-to-function depressed) I never believe anything will help me, including medications. I didn't mean anyone should remove the ADs or even that this was true. I just passed it along. Actually, I don't believe it's that low as I know many people who are greatly improved by ADs. Sorry, if I alarmed anyone!!

 

[KTMom91]

Hubby can tell when I've forgotten my Paxil. I didn't think it was helping, so I stopped taking it, but things went from bad to worse very quickly. At least for me, the medications do help.

 

[susiestar]

I totally LOVE statistics! You can make them say a whole lot of things.

I would not have an oldest son with-o SSRI antidepressants. And for me, if I get depressed I want to smoke, very very badly. And have for periods of time. But if I get my prozac adjusted the desire/urge to smoke goes away and I have very little trouble stopping.

With medications, it is amazing the amount of research that is commissioned by the drug companies and then supressed. Usually in the name of marketing.

The way the sample is designed is crucial in assessing ANYTHING, and so often research just is NOT well designed.

I think that stopping any medication should be under a doctor's advice, and so should many other things.

I do wonder how they picked the sample in this study to best get reliable results that can be duplicated. Because, if the study cannot be duplicated it is not scientifically accurate.

To medicate or not is a HUGE decision for yourself, much less for your child. So we each have to follow our instincts and work with both our doctors AND our medicines.