PsychSense: Sensible Psychological Solutions

I felt compelled to respond to some of the misinformation in a NY Times book review this morning of A Brief History of Anxiety by Patricia Pearson.

• To start the reviewer calls Mrs Pearson a “neurotic”. This is very old term with no true meaning. It is not in use in modern psychiatry.

• Mrs Pearson is said to have anxiety. There are quite a few anxiety disorders on a continium that range from mild (generalized anxiety disorder) to very severe such as Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Phobias.

• The symptoms of dread and multiple debilitatinging fears Mrs. Pearson describes are signs of severe OCD. I haven’t read the book but I would expect that she would also have some compulsive symptoms also. (excessive cleaning, rituals, etc.)

• Effexor is not addictive!!! Heroin, alcohol, codine, valium, ( an antianxiety drug ), xanax( an antianxiety drug), and many others are addictive; antidepressants are not. ( a drug is addictive if it causes a chronic condition of compulsive drug seeking for the pleasent state or relief it brings. It’s effects on the brain lead to tolerance, physical dependence, uncontrollable craving and, all too often, relapse.)

• The return of symptoms after stopping antidepressants are simply the return of depression. (If you stop your insulin your blood sugar goes back up.) Stopping antidepressants can sometime result in mild symptoms of muscle aches and headaches. This does not qualify as withdrawal!

• Mrs Pearson complains of “anti-anxiety medications, which dulled the static in her brain but left her “in an emotional half-light,” secure but disengaged.” (drug addicts actually seek this feeling) This does occur with Valium and Xanax type drugs (these are intended for situational crisis and NOT for long term use, just because they are addicting. In my opinion these drugs are way overused. )

• Very Ocasionally patients will complain of a Zombie like feeling from an antidepressant, usually a switch to a different drug will relieve this feeling.

Patients with severe OCD need treatment with high doses of antidepressants and expert behavioral therapy. (this is hard to come by) This combined treatment can do wonders for people suffering with this horrendous condition.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t believe in pushing pills but OCD is debiliting and very serious. If untreated it tends to get worse. It is painful for the patient but for everyone around her.

Of course it may make a great story! I loved “As Good as It Gets,” with Jack Nicholson. If you are interested in OCD and haven’t see this DO !