Depression

[Amish RakeFight]

I think I got ya finally! good post.:beer:

Depression is an awful thing. Most of my posts are never nearly as lengthy as these have been, but I have strong feelings on the subject due to personal experiences as I mentioned.

Cheers. :beer:

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Some evidence to fortify my pharmaceutical argument.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/health/14pain.html?em&ex=1200459600&en=bac45d5aff5a17d7&ei=5087

 

[Amish RakeFight]

...and today, yet another article about a widely prescribed drug that has been found to be useless.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/b...em&ex=1200546000&en=3790ea9662bb0e93&ei=5087

 

[AC560]

Scientology holds the answers for curing depression.

 

[CA1900]

Scientology?

I don't have that kind of spare cash lying around...

 

[G21Agoose]

An interesting article in this week's Economist concerning drugs for treating depression.

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10765331

 

[Amish RakeFight]

NYT article detailing the far reaching hands of the pharmeceutical industry in their connections to the next DSM-IV revision. What goes in has a great bearing on what will be considered the next big "illness" to be treated by expensive pharmeceuticals. For instance, "Road Rage" is now classified as a mental disorder as well as RLS or restless leg syndrome. These pharmeceutical companies create needs not cures. It's more about profits than it is about cure these days. They prey on peoples fears. Without an offical designation and diagnosis inside this offical medical book, insurnace companies will not pay for said illness. This is why there is a conflict of interest when they have discretion as to what does or does not make it into this medical bible.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/...em&ex=1210392000&en=b17b144c46661899&ei=5087

The comments below from the doctors are worth perusing as well.


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[avbug]

Just have a drink or ten and your troubles and cares will be releaved.

That comment was probably meant to be humorous, but depression isn't funny, and it can become a life and death matter. The kind of condition where life holds so little joy that death is preferable. Depression can be a living hell, and it's a very serious condition.

No, not everyone gets depressed. There's a big difference between feeling a little down, and being depressed.

Take depression seriously, and seek help.

 

[justthewife]

AmishRake,

you are right, sort of. Things like ADD and restless legs syndrome do exist, but by putting advertisements on TV, this gives people the idea that they are much more common than they really are. So, people who really don't have a classical diagnosis of a disorder come to the doctor seeking drugs because they fit the symptoms listed on the TV. This is bad medicine, but it sure increases drug company profits.

My favorite invented disorder is PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). What woman doesn't feel cranky before her period? But in actuality, a minute percentage actually need to be medicated, and they already have other underlying medical and mental issues.

I have restless legs syndrome- nearly 7 nights a week, and none of the new advertised medications worked at all for me. To classify it as a psychological disorder is absolute insane--it's a movement disorder. I guess it's just a way to increase revenue and find new uses for other drugs. For example, for restless legs syndrome, they treat you with drugs used for patients with Parkinson's disease. For a small few, they work. For the rest of us, it's back to the old way of treating restless legs - codeine and a valium-like drug(I'm not a pilot- no worries) . But because these are both generic, there's not much profit to be made, so they come up with Requip and Mirapex and advertise the HELL out of them, and the masses flock to the doctor asking for them.

Just wanted to clarify your info- you were generally on the right track, though!

 

[avbug]

Let's get back to the original poster's question:

This question came up at work last week and the lot of us were stumped, so I thought I'd pose the question here. If a pilot gets diagnosed with depression, the kind where "happy pill" medication would be required, is that an instant no-go with regards to getting a medical?

The FAA does not approve any psychotropic drugs, or mood altering drugs. Any clinical diagnosis of depression will require additional supporting documentation and a psychiatric evaluation before any further action by the FAA can be taken, and then only upon further consideration of that evaluation.

 

[ackattacker]

I think Amish's post's are right on in many regards and well spoken. Frankly it seems half my friends are on some sort of "mood medication", it's pretty ridiculous how frequently they are prescribed.

However some people need chemical help. Really they do. It's pretty well documented, and not just by the drug companies. True Depression can be crushing, crippling. There's no way to dig yourself out from that sort of hole by yourself. Or if you are well and truly bipolar... therapy just isn't going to cut it.

The problem with SSRI's is that very few people ever truly get better and go off them. Your brain gets hooked on them. If you ever stop taking them you get severely depressed in just a few weeks. So back to the medical issue, going on SSRI's is very risky... it can be a lifetime thing and you never hold a medical again. I would never consider it unless I was seriously considering suicide and had exhausted all other means of treatment.

 

[Papps]

Telling a clinically depressed person to "be happy", is like telling a drunk person to "be sober". Due to their brains chemistry at that moment, they are literally incapable of doing anything more than pretending.

If you ever have one to many beers at the bar, and drive home, just remember "thinking sober" won't help you pass that breathilizer. Nor will "thinking happy" help a clinically depressed person.

 

[justthewife]

Telling a clinically depressed person to "be happy", is like telling a drunk person to "be sober". Due to their brains chemistry at that moment, they are literally incapable of doing anything more than pretending.

If you ever have one to many beers at the bar, and drive home, just remember "thinking sober" won't help you pass that breathilizer. Nor will "thinking happy" help a clinically depressed person.

Excellent, excellent analogy. That is a good way to tell if you are really depressed, or just feeling down due to situational factors. Can you find things that make you feel better? Do you still enjoy doing things you used to enjoy? Are you still sleeping normally, eating normally? If so, then it is likely not true depression.

Everyone feels like S*@t once in awhile, and unfortunately, too many people are treated with drugs who aren't suffering true depression, and might be better served with some exercise, watching their diet, and some R and R.

However, none of those things will work if you are truly chemically depressed. You can't reason yourself out of that situation, or "think" yourself better- for those people, drugs are a lifesaver.

 

[Papps]

Agreed, anti depressants are way over perscribed. They won't help you if you just got dumped by your girlfriend, hate your job...ie lifes normal bummers. Feeling like crap is something everyone will feel at one point.

real depression is a combination of mental and physical symptoms. If everything is going ok in your life, but you still feel utterly miserable, you have chronic digestive problems, you have massive sleep problems, you have memory problems, you are loosing tons of weight, you aren't interested in anything, you avoid friends and family, your sex drive is shot, your are 100% painfully fatigued 24/7 almost flu like fatigue, have a family history of depression, suicide, alcoholism.......etc then it may be clinical depression and you should seriously think about removing yourself from the cockpit and getting treated by a medical professional.

If you just hate your job, and you significant other, then quit your job and dump your girlfriend and try again, because meds won't make you feel remotely better.