Psychiatry's Reach and Scope, Mental Illness, Psychopharmacology

Recently, I read the following hard-hitting piece that touched a personal chord in me:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/magazine/25Memoir-t.html.

Subsequently, when I googled its author Dr. Daniel Carlat's name I came upon his blog: http://carlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com/.

While there, I added my own two cents' on the subject and here it is:

Dear Dr. Carlat,

Your succinct piece in the Times touched a personal chord for me. My mother had been depressed since her angioplastie (even this procedure was probably unnecessary!) in January 2006. A woman who was 24/7 active became 24/7 inactive! Indeed, she was also treated by psychiatrists.

A highly intelligent and strong-willed woman, recently, she stopped all medication, including for her heart and is doing much better. She has even begun eating much better. Up until recently she hardly ate and stayed in bed almost all the time.

A trained musician she was teaching tens of students but now, the only music she religiously listens to is mine every day at a set time. She's not normal yet, but since she stopped all medication, she certainly has come a long way and finally, as her daughter and caregiver, I'm beginning to feel hopeful. I've taken her up as a project and I'm beginning to see results. Thanks for your total honesty in talking about your profession.

With all due respect to my psychiatrist friends, I must confess that I didn’t think they could cure her (they had no idea of her belief system nor her upbringing, which in my opinion contribute much to how one deals with life’s traumas), and they didn’t. One of them (not my friend) came across as a real quack, in fact. I’m not sure if she was a psychiatrist or from one of those sub-professions.

I felt very sorry to read about your mother’s suicide.

Ro.

I am no expert on the subject, but I feel that particularly in mental illness, cure and treatment have to be highly individualized. This is what is working in my mother's case and in her case, the family's care and support trumped anything else available.

The gains for the family are untold although in the short run, the caregiver himself/herself could go insane. But if one hangs in there the rewards are multiple. It's amazing how for someone who is not known for her patience, this experience has taught me sensitivity and has fulfilled my own need to serve. Good deed came seeking me instead of the other way round.

Ciao!
Ro.