The Challenge of Going Off Psychiatric Drugs
I generally am supportive of people seeking psychiatric treatment, but wow, this woman&#x27;s case seems, in retrospect, rather mismanaged.<p>It is like her doctors tried to medicate away an epiphany. Realizing that &quot;the glittering balls and designer clothing has no real underlying substance&quot; and being depressed that one&#x27;s life is limited to such things, is not a cause for medication.<p>It sounds like she was struggling to be happy in a situation in which she was never going to find happiness.<p>Finding purpose, the thing she said was missing so early on, seems to ultimately be what helped her. Her reason to get up every day is that she can now <i>help others</i>, instead of live just for herself.<p>Some people look inward, they want to be the best dressed at the party, have a good career, and overall be successful in life. If that brings them happiness, then good for them! They have found what makes their life fulfilling. But different people need other forms of fulfillment, be it an artist completing their latest work, or someone who wants to have a daily positive impact on the world around them.<p>Medication cannot make people happy. (Well at least not the legal drugs, and the illegal ones won&#x27;t work long term!) They can only create the possibility for happiness for those who need some extra help.<p>But, doctors need to do a better job of discovering if that extra help is just needed, or if the road their patient is going down is not going to lead to happiness no matter what is written on the prescription pad.