I missed this one.
From anything I have seen, either when I was working or with my own daughter, the medications and treatments, though often very expensive, are neither appropriate nor effective. Often, because of weight gain, hair loss, other horrific ~ truly, horrific ~ side effects, the medications exacerbate an already unstable situation. As it is in any inpatient setting, the "disease", correctly diagnosed or not (and usually, that would be "not") takes precedence over the person ~ again, making an already unstable situation a thousand times worse. What comes to be a power over mess of medications and therapy passing for treatment leaves the designated "mentally ill" person without hope.
I have seen research indicating ECT is effective in many cases of depression, though no one can say why.
There is a woman diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic for whom no medication or treatment would help. She spiraled down and down and down. One day, she decided to stop all medications. She addressed the voices as parts of herself that needed to be healed and incorporated, and proceeded to do that. She has completed her Master's and is working toward her doctorate.
No more medications.
No more schizophrenia.
She does a twenty minute TED presentation. I f anyone is interested, I will find and post, here.
Cedar