The article linked below captures many facets of the complicated beast known as psychiatry under the influence of corporate pressure from Big Pharma. In particular what struck me were the descriptions of how colleagues of Irving Kirsch, whose research exposes that antidepressants on the whole are no more effective than placebo, have been ostracized and dressed down for supporting him.
I could go on for days with shop talk about how as a therapist I approach my clients and their use of pharmaceuticals for mood stabilization. My overall philosophy is to tread cautiously in those waters, and to support patient education and self-leadership. I help clients do what they want to do after they have educated themselves as best they can about all of the relevant issues.
Anyway, for those who can stand to have the curtain pulled aside and to look directly at this beast of an issue: Why Antidepressants Are No Better Than Placebos.
Kmareka.com 
Very interesting. I know of someone who intuitively resisted suggestions from many people including his doctor to go on antidepressants. Knowing the nature of his depression (apathy, lack of motivation, strong need for stimulants like caffeine to self-medicate) I suggested 500mg of L-Tyrosine twice a day. Miracle of miracles. He noticed a HUGE change. More motivated, more focused, slept better. And even people around him called me to happily report the difference.
Moral of the story – drugs are not only unnecessary, they are not getting to the root cause, which is often a deficiency in a particular neurotransmitter than can be corrected with phenylalinine, tyrosine, 5-HTP, and others.
Blue Sage, that sounds EXACTLY like the type of depression I have. I’m going to try L-Tyrosine and see what happens. Very grateful to have stumbled upon this post today.
Let me know what happens! Vitamin B-6 in combination helps with the delivery of tyrosine. This brand has B-6…and it’s the one this person used. http://www.iherb.com/Twinlab-L-Tyrosine-Plus-100-Capsules/2438
Reblogged this on Therapy with Kiersten Marek, LICSW.