Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor
A Personal Response to a
Government Study on Depression

MARCH 26, 2006 --

The Washington Post, in its March 23 lead story reported that depression, in half the cases,was not cured by drugs.

The headline, however, looked at the matter this way: "Drugs Cure Depression In Half of Patients" The New York Times, also on March 23, but on page A20, reported that people whose depression is not relieved by one drug may get relief by switching to other medication.

The simultaneous timing of the Post and Times stories appears to have been prompted by articles on depression in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Both newspapers mentioned Dr. Thomas R. Insel, noting that he is director of the National Institute of Mental Health, which funded the study (apparently with $35 million in taxpayer money, according to the Post.)

The Post article citing government findings, noted that some 15 million Americans are beset by depression, that 189 million prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs were written in 2005, and that the treatment and economic consequences of depression
cost the nation some $83 billion a year.

The Post article, by Shankar Vedantam, reported that in spite of "intensive treatment (not defined) "[s]ignificant numbers of patients continue to experience symptoms such sadness, low energy and hopelessness…"

I skimmed the Post and Times stories late in the afternoon of March 24, after getting up from a nap, and still feeling somewhat anxious. (Neither the Post nor the Times accounts allowed that anxiety is a depression symptom.)

I did not find mention in the news articles that drugs may cause drowsiness. What I have experienced is that after napping, I am again anxious--at the time lost.

Post writer Vedantam noted that causes of depression may extend beyond considerations of chemical imbalances. This would suggest that medication (to redress non-existing chemical balances) would be ineffective (possibly harmful?) Or, perhaps, a condition of chemical imbalance has developed, leaving the patient vulnerable to anxiety/depression which would have had little, if any impact, previously.

My hunch is that anxiety and/or depression become matters of concern when someone becomes incapable of taking action -- removing clutter from an apartment, for example, as I wrote about a year ago.

On another level, a sense of ineffectiveness might foster anxiety and depression when this sense escalates from ineffectiveness to hopelessness. Sadness-based depression might be a different matter. Who can go through live without experiencing the sadness of loss -- or anticipating loss?

Persons, however well-intentioned, who urge us to "move on" (perhaps implying we put it all behind us) are insensitive to reminders we get of difficult, or sad events in our lives. I have written about the artful use of property taxes to put an end, effectively, to my family's business.

In 1999 a local reporter in New York City turned my attempt to provide him with information on the matter into an occasion to pressure me to go on camera and face his prejudicial accusations This reporter is now with another New York station and, last week, interviewed properly, without prejudicial accusations, a defendant in a homicide case.

How does one "move on" when life hits us, unexpectedly, with reminders of loss or perceived injustice? Move on? No, persevere is a more precise term … I think. And how better to persevere than to be productive, in some way.

There a line spoken by Clarence, in Frank Capra's film "It's a Wonderful Life" that is instructive, I think. Clarence asks George Bailey to help him get his wings. George agrees, and asks how?

Clarence replies: "By letting me help you." (Quoting from the "It's a Wonderful Life Book, by Jeanine Bassinger, p.279.)

On March 20, I decided, feeling somewhat anxious (notwithstanding prescribed medication), to drive to Torrington to get away from my New York City
apartment.

With medication, the anxiety/depression seems to ease later in the day. I have also found that a long drive -- within the speed limit -- also seems to have a beneficial effect. (The Post report that drugs seem to cure half the depression cases did not note that perhaps drugs ease cases of anxiety/depression about half the day.)

Certainly it is difficult for us mortals to avoid sadness. And hopelessness? Could this be fueled (pun not intentional) by, say, continued gas price squeezes, or failure to obtain fairness from credit card companies -- or failure to find any public official to endorse the "common good" principles of Federalist 57, or concern about making do after 65+

On reaching Torrington late in the afternoon, March 20 (Shana seems to lose a year or two in the Litchfield County air), it was disappointing to find that gas prices were still going up -- with regular at the Winsted Road Mobil station now $2.59.9, five cents higher than four days ago.

I heard a radio report, March 24 that Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell expressed concern about the resumption of higher gas prices . It would be wonderful, indeed, if Gov. Rell also asked, publicly, why politicians and business leaders trash the "common good" principles of Federalist 57.

Who knows -- a society that followed the sage counsel of Federalist 57 might find a sudden drop in cases of anxiety/depression?

Thanks to anyone who might have read this piece. Writing about one's experience with anxiety and depression -- a form of reaching out -- and sharing, is perhaps also helpful.