…completely cure it

Your experiences are your experiences, just as my experiences, which are not insignificant, are my own

I’m taking about people with long term afflictions exploring the range of models, of which there are many, available to better cope with living with mental illness

I’m glad that you discovered the source of your illness and were able to treat it. I sincerely hope that it has improved your wellbeing

However, for the majority of mental illness there are no biological markers. That’s what defines them as a ‘mental’ illness, and no amount of medication is going…

I understand that people, myself included, have felt the benefits of medicating mental illness.

But after decades of maybe minor, but no significant, improvement do people not explore the other far more plausible psychological implications

Okay, I’ve got to bite now

You’re comparing mental illness to a cancer diagnosis and that’s unforgivable. I get that everyone here is 100% subscribed to a medical model of mental illness, but that’s just inaccurate. Is it a factor? Yes. Is it the whole story? Absolutely not.

Becuase? What have I missed?

I apologise. I certainly didn’t intend to make people feel bad for taking antidepressants. If it works for them personally then that’s fine.

However, a conversation on the ‘magic-bullet for mental illness’ narrative around medication is a worthwhile one. Perhaps for somewhere else, though.

Sorry, I didn’t realise you were being disingenuous.

Yes, antidepressants are categorically considered a psychoactive drug.

And it’s simply untrue that they that they don’t have a degenerative effect on neuro-transmitters and receptors. I’ve never even known that to be disputed.

I mean, there’s a wealth of research out there regarding addiction and chemical dependency. How psychoactive drugs affect the brain is fairly undisputed

Moncreiff and Kirsch were early critics of the the neurochemical imbalance theory specifically. Also maybe read James Davies and Richard Bentall

Graduate Psychologist (make of that what you will), but more than 30 years personal experience with both medicinal and talking therapies

No, but regardless of the targeted neurochemical they will alter your brain chemistry, depending on the dose and duration, leading to tolerance and chemical dependency. It can take some individuals years to recover from the effects

You can learn CBT independently if you’re inclined. It’s fairly straightforward.

However, if you’re looking for a more significant treatment I’d recommend looking into psychodynamic therapies. You should be able to find a subsidised therapist that will only charge you what you can afford.

If you honestly *believe* that medication will work then chances are it will (for a time). That’s generally how placebos work

If you’re lucky and your condition is transient then it will help you through a difficult period. However, if your condition is more severe then it’s a ‘band-aid’ solution

Mindfulness and CBT wer me never effective treatments. Simply cheap and easy to deliver.

The majority of available treatments are just a variety of placebos intended to get people with mild depressive symptoms through difficult periods

You will revert to your depressed state in time and your brain’s ability to both produce and receive serotonin naturally will have significantly depreciated. And you now have to cope with with a litany of undesirable side-effects