according to the experts, carl, SSRIs are not habit forming in the medical sense. one of the good things about them.
like any psychotropic drugs, the patient must be taken off them slowly so the body can adjust by degrees. for example, if a patient goes cold turkey from an AD -- heaven forbid -- s/he may experience a devastating return of depressive symptoms while the body readjusts.
patients taken off xanax -- not an AD -- abruptly can experience something as extreme as a brain hemorrhage depending on their physiology.
there are lots of nasties associated with drug therapy when it's not handled properly.
R
At 06:19 AM 7/30/2004, you wrote:
>>I agree that people seem to have a pretty cavalier attitude about these
>>powerful drugs. This is one signficant reason why psychotherapy is
>>often more effective (and safer!) than drug therapy for the treatment
>>of various psychological problems.
>>
>>Miles
>
>Plus antidepressant drugs may be habit-forming, whereas psychotherapy
>requires only once-a-week sessions for, oh, 20 or 30 years.
>
>Carl
>
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