Maggie's Farm

There are limits to the "medical model" of Psychiatry. Psychiatrists like me tend to focus on the "psycho-social" aspect, while others go full-bore with pills and symptom check-lists. There is no single form of Psychiatry today and many shrinks my age have never perused the DSM unless to find a plausible insurance code.

Word to the wise: Some shrinks want to understand you in depth, some want to diagnose you and give you pills, and some try to tailor help to you as an individual with talk therapy and/or medicine if needed. Many patients do not wish to open their hearts and souls - it feels too threatening and often is - and just want a pill if it will help them feel better without having to think too hard. My approach is to try to understand a person first but, if they want to try a pill, fine.

Here's something: The Medication Generation - Many young people today have now spent most of their lives on antidepressants. Have the drugs made them 'emotionally illiterate'?