The cure for mental illness

[Fancy]

While you don't need a doctor's reference to see a psychologist, Kuelker said not all health care plans cover psychotherapy costs and prioritizing funding for such care gets lost in the competing interest demands for health care services budget funding.

He said for someone growing up in an environment of parental chaos and abuse, no GP can deal with breaking that cycle, or the mental illness symptoms that stem from those experiences, in a five-minute appointment.

"They don't have the time to diagnose and intervene for mental illness issues in the same way they do with a physical injury," Kuelker said, noting he was meeting with five physicians in Kelowna this week to discuss the issue of how psychotherapy can be a better utilized treatment option.

"The funding in place now for dealing with emotion injuries is inadequate. The need for funding is real but to see any change has to start at the grassroots level and putting pressure on the politicians to change that."

I do agree that funding for all healthcare should be a priority.
http://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/414386553.html

[Thinktank]

Canadians are among the world's biggest users of antidepressants, with as much as nine per cent of the population on one depression-fighting drug or another, according to a new study from the OECD.

Consumption of antidepressants in Canada is the third-highest among 23 developed countries surveyed by the organization, with 86 doses consumed daily per 1,000 people.

That's one dose every day out of ten people? Wow. That's insane. And that doesn't even count the bipolar and schizophrenia people taking Haldol. That's just normal depressed people.

Anyway I know the cure. The cure is to reduce the number of depressed people from one in ten to one in a hundred, by doing things differently - BEFORE the people get depressed. Of course it would mean $billions less profit for drug companies. We could start by answering the question - Why are Canadians so damned depressed? Is it the cold winters? Or what?

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/11/22 ... 20429.html

[Fancy]

Anyway I know the cure. The cure is to reduce the number of depressed people from one in ten to one in a hundred, by doing things differently - BEFORE the people get depressed.

Another person who doesn't understand mental health issues. What you are suggesting isn't a cure.

Why are Canadians so damned depressed? Is it the cold winters? Or what?

If you don't know, how can you have a cure?
I wouldn't make jokes about such a serious illness that affects so many people.

[Jonrox]

Clinical depression is not feeling down for a few days. It's a serious, debilitating illness.

ThinkTank, you really need to do some research into what it is and why it's so serious. It's not about cloudy days or cold winters. Your lack of knowledge on the topic is obvious. This one hits very close to home for me, so it's taking everything I've got to not completely lose my cool with you.

[Gixxer]

Anti depressants really should be used as a last resort. A person would be amazed at how making simple dietary changes in their life like cutting out stimulants like sugar and caffeine can make profound change on their mood. Also exercise and meditation had many positive benefits as well.

[GordonH]

Anti depressants really should be used as a last resort. A person would be amazed at how making simple dietary changes in their life like cutting out stimulants like sugar and caffeine can make profound change on their mood. Also exercise and meditation had many positive benefits as well.

Depression is not cookie cutter item, what you said everyone should actual do. For some it will do the job, others not so much.
There is so much about the human mind will still don't know. Compassion & understanding for our fellow humans, can go a long way.

[Thinktank]

There is so much about the human mind will still don't know. Compassion & understanding for our fellow humans, can go a long way.

other countries aren't nearly as depressed as us Canadians. We should take a vacation and learn from them.

Trudeau - subsidize vacations for Canadians. $300 per person for Cancun, instead of drugs.

[the truth]

Anti depressants really should be used as a last resort. A person would be amazed at how making simple dietary changes in their life like cutting out stimulants like sugar and caffeine can make profound change on their mood. Also exercise and meditation had many positive benefits as well.

to bad the big pharma pushers have everyone beleiving this is not possible

[Gixxer]

Depression is not cookie cutter item, what you said everyone should actual do. For some it will do the job, others not so much.
There is so much about the human mind will still don't know. Compassion & understanding for our fellow humans, can go a long way.

Right. All I'm saying is anti-depressants should be used as a last resort instead of being prescribed right away. They are dangerous with unknown side effects that can last forever.

[the truth]

they give the stuff out like its candy , any one honest enough knows it too

[GordonH]

Depression is not cookie cutter item, what you said everyone should actual do. For some it will do the job, others not so much.
There is so much about the human mind will still don't know. Compassion & understanding for our fellow humans, can go a long way.

Right. All I'm saying is anti-depressants should be used as a last resort instead of being prescribed right away. They are dangerous with unknown side effects that can last forever.

True, this is were trusted Family members & Friends/spouse come in to seek out professional help that works for the person who's suffering. If medication is the route needed, as with anything it's finding the one that does whats needed. Again this is were that trusted Family member &/or trusted Friend/spouse comes in to watch for side effects meds. Because the one going threw the depression may not recognize there is problem.

Added: as I mentioned earlier about meds (page1 my last post on that page) i.e bipolar, many of the those meds used are actually developed for those with Epilepsy.

[GordonH]

they give the stuff out like its candy , any one honest enough knows it too

Then you are clearly going to the wrong Doctor, seek out better

[Gixxer]

Im talking about irreversible side effects of antidepressants even after someone stops taking them. PSSD (Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction) google it. You might change your mind about taking them, and realize how dangerous they really are.

[JollyGreenBully]

The worst possible thing a person can do is start googling medications and getting false or exaggerated information.

EVERY medication is potentially dangerous. Ask any doctor about meds - it's all about potential risk vs potential reward. People just seem to be hung up on psychiatric medication for some reason, possibly because they change brain chemistry and people think it sounds scary.

[Osoyoos_Familyof4]

Things to consider when "considering" the statistics:

Psychiatrists are prescribing physicians, Psychologists are not able to recommend or prescribe medications. Therefore to ascribe or insinuate that Psychiatry is "overprescribing" as a whole is something quite tricky (not to say however if it is or is not accurate). People may go to psychologists/counsellors for a variety of therapeutic treatments - but none of them will be pharmaceutical. They may augment their psychological therapy choices a few times a year (some more, some less) to evaluate pharmaceutical options with a Psychologists. Therefore to infer that Psychiatrists are "overprescribing" is kind of the point of their existence, otherwise as a whole, Psychologists would be "running the show" in general.

Psychologists even under the most generous private plans (let's say teacher's benefits as an example) is usually pretty stingy. I think it caps out at $500.00 per year per person. When a Psychologist costs between $125.00-$175.00 a session you can assume that it's largely a user pay system (even for those with a supplementary plan). Psychologists however are covered by MSP which is rather silly as we may be encouraging people to use higher paid Physicians who really perhaps should be used more like a acute-care specialists who "ought" to be primarily more concerned with pharmacology.

In less populated areas (which BC has a lot of) there is a shocking lack of psychological services available to the public that is "covered" by Heath Regions. This leaves MANY of the citizens to either "find a way" to self-pay, or to rely on a minimally trained family physicians to solve an acute situational problem with psychological medications because the family physician lacks the training and time to do much else than to prescribe drugs. The waiting lists for psychological services in the rural communities is egregious at best, or nonexistent at worse.

Therefore, consider that physicians who have the power to prescribe are really backed into a corner by a system private and public that doesn't respect the gravity of mental illness. Psychiatrists and Family Doctors are receiving patients who are presenting in acute distress. They know that this patient may never see a psychologist or counsellor for care because they can't afford it, or it simply doesn't exist. Their patient however is suffering, this is a terrible dilemma they face. The patient wants suffering to be alleviated, and this could likely be the only option to do so (meaning prescribe). I would assume any physician might worry what the consequences are to NOT prescribing (suicide, psychosis, social-abuse etc) weighs pretty heavy on them. Maybe they're backed into a crappy-corner here where prescribing (even when it may not be the most appropriate option is really their only available option.

Psychological services need to be more appropriately funded by government and private insurance providers. Employers need to provide Employee Assistance programs that are meaningful and have some teeth and provide over-time for mental health assistance. Corporations like "Bell Media" who have taken on Mental Illness as their "cause-celeb" maybe could pony up with real money for mental health resources (especially in communities where there is a pathetic lack of to begin with)?

Are Canadians more inclined to mental illness in general given that we're number two in the "most prescribed"category? Perhaps we're over-represented because we lack some of the benefits of other equally developed nations (appropriate pay, appropriate vacation time-off, appropriately planned communities that includes ideas about "happiness among citizenry". Maybe it is due to long hard winters. Maybe we just have built a society that is fundamentally not-working only second to America. Of course this doesn't suggest that I positively acknowledge that those in developing countries don't even have the luxury of being sad as they're too busy just trying to survive over survival AND happy.

It's complicated, and the re-work is daunting. Societal overhaul isn't an easy fix and it requires for a tremendous shift in how we choose to live, and how we decide what to pay for to create a culture where "happy" is a right, not a "hope".