Only a physician or other qualified medical professional is authorized to give you formal advice about the use of psychotropic (affecting the mind or mood) medications. So you will be hearing some general comments from me that would absolutely be subject to final advice given by your doctor.

The responsible use of medications to treat depression, anxiety and

panic has been a big help to mankind—and especially to those who want to be busy in the service of the True God in “the last days.”

Western medicine has learned to do some wonderful things—like laser surgery, or the use of stents. And at the same time they may use a mechanistic approach to treating people that leaves many folks feeling more like a disease than a person. Patients complain of a lack of warmth, caring, or time to spend with their doctor. Their intuition calls them to pull back and seek alternatives like chiropractic, nutrition and other specialties which seem to pay way more attention to the subjective feeling state of the patient. And it’s easy to see why patients feel dissatisfied when they get to spend 10 minutes with their PCP after 40 minutes of waiting.

I think you have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water on this one. You don’t have to convince me that modern medicine has weaknesses, but I have seen folks fiddle around with inadequate treatment when proven, more effective forms were warranted. St John’s wort, in my opinion, is no match for major depression. I am sure you also could tell me stories of folks who have been over-medicated and who actually functioned better after they GOT OFF their regimen of pills, and I wouldn’t doubt your truthfulness.

But for very invasive symptoms—especially major depression and severe anxiety—I think everybody ought to think hard about giving the medications a chance. At least a try. The modern day antidepressants, especially, have been used by millions of people millions of times. Their potential for good is, in my opinion, much greater than for bad—although the exact results for each person cannot be known till they take em.

I know some folks—many folks—will not agree, and they will be reluctant to try them. But my experience over the past 11 years is that they do more good than harm—way more. I think it is unenlightened to make a decision not to even try them because “I don’t trust doctors,” or “I don’t like to take pills.” Again, I understand that western medicine has its shortcomings—lots of them. And physicians can be abrupt and condescending. You may want to pull away from the whole practice.

And even if you do try an antidepressant, you still have to be patient. It can take a couple of weeks or more to build up an effective dose of the medication in your system. Then more time to see if the dose is right. Then maybe you feel somewhat better. Maybe not. Maybe it works for a while. Maybe in time you have to try another one. There are side effects, but more often they are not so severe.

So you have to choose between the (usually minor) side effects that may come with taking the meds, and the side effects of not taking—namely, continuing to live with your symptoms of depression. Which is causing you greater distress?

Nobody can tell you exactly why antidepressants work, or if or how they will work on you in advance. You have to give them a try. And at the end of 2005 there are about 20 different ones on the market in the US. No one can say for sure if you were born with a “chemical imbalance,” or if you have suffered one due to some trial you have been through. And it has been said that even in the case of a schizophrenic, whose brain is very disordered, 99% of the brain’s cells are still working properly. That’s how sensitive our amazing human brains are!

People who are in pain for a long time often become depressed, as do people who are very fatigued over a long time. The person in pain or not sleeping may not perceive that they have slipped into depression, but those around them can tell. The sufferer may lack energy, and gradually become more negative and hopeless. They aren’t doing it on purpose—quite the contrary. They would love to feel different! But there is that downward pull as pain, sleeplessness and depression feed on each other and intensify the suffering. One of the best ways to interrupt and reverse this spiral has been the use of antidepressants.

I have done my best to level with you about medications. You can tell I think they are worth a try, especially for those suffering with more severe symptoms of depression. Some of the antidepressants have also been very helpful to damp down impulsivity in persons who are prone to uncontrolled expressions of anger or sexual acting out.

If you are misusing alcohol, or even depending on alcohol to get through your days your body is already reaching out to medicate itself. I strongly suggest you stop abusive alcohol (or street drugs) and do the right thing instead. See your doctor and take responsible meds at prescribed doses. Oh, and about seeing your doctor: in the past prescriptions for psychotropic medications were almost all written by psychiatrists. Today scrips are written by family docs, and if you can get your primary care doctor to write your prescription for you, I am all for it. Psychiatrists have their place, but they are usually more expensive and you may have to wait for several weeks just for a first appointment.

It is your decision whether or not to take one of the modern psychotropic drugs. I want you to know your options and I hope you will consider them with an open mind, not dismissing the possibility of using modern medications too soon. I want you to decide, but decide with full knowledge. And if you do decide to try the meds, don’t overtake them. And don’t stop without telling your MD.