Ever read the blogs from people who are trying to stop taking the new batch of anxiety drugs that are used to treat depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder? Their stories might cause you to think twice about using these drugs.
Clearly there is no issue with using these drugs in situations where extreme measures are warranted. Helping someone get off the streets or preventing violence is a warranted use. Using them to relieve an unhealthy self-image may be a deal with the devil. I spent some time reading posts from the message boards regarding Cymbalta (Duloxetine) and Effexor (Venlafaxine), two SSRI antidepressants which have wide off label use and have been amazed with what these individuals are confronted with as they try to stop taking these medications. While it is always challenging to stop taking antidepressants, drugs with pharmacologies such as these lead one to a very important question: are the results worth the potential introduction of permanent after effects that can leave someone worse off than they started, and in some cases, for the rest of their lives?
Certainly there are reasons to take medications such as these; this is in no way a general indictment of their usefulness, and for some they are the difference between chaos and peace. However, taking them as a substitute for addressing relational problems, the treatment of adolescent misbehaving and more generalized anxiety disorders is a risky proposition.
What do you think? Am I being too critical or is it a good idea to have a healthy degree of skepticism surrounding powerful drugs such as these?
