Posted by Stephan on August 13, 1999, at 12:49:14
This is a new disorder I've identified in at least three out of four of the pdocs I've employed, and I suspect it's not all that uncommon among the psychiatric profession as a whole. You've probably seen the signs: your doctor will tend to recommend trials of every single SSRI and every other post-tricyclic (and various combinations thereof) before even considering the "older, out-dated and dangerous" antidepressant classes. When questioned about the existance of tricyclics or MAOI antidepressants, most psychiatrists will suddenly remember medications they have, for all purposes, long removed from their treatment algorithms.
When reminded of the existance of tricyclics and MAOIs, most psychiatrists will also immediately exhibit a quickened pulse, profuse sweating, and will experience symptoms of an irrational anxiety - these are common symptoms of a related disorder called "Chronic Litigation Paranoia."
What all this means for treatment-resistant depressives (i.e. me) is literally years of futile and substandard treatment for a devestating illness that, given enough time, will kill. But at least I will not have died, intentionally or unintentionally, from anything prescribed for me by my noble medical practitioner, and they won't have to lose sleep worrying about the statistically rare (in relation to the actual amount of bad medicine being practiced) event of a malpractice lawsuit.
And isn't that the most important thing?
poster:Stephan
thread:10027
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990726/msgs/10027.html