> > > I'm quite opposed to throwing drugs at a psychological problem. #1, it just treats the symptoms- - - it doesn't treat the underlying causes.
> >
> > This is one of the things we were saying to Sakura in chat when she asked for opinions yesterday. But we all seemed to agree ["we" being me, Dave, Mousie and Nyperold; any of them should feel free to correct me if I misunderstood their opinions] that this was one reason Sakura *should* be considering medication.
> >
> > If the cause of her trouble is not a chemical imbalance but problems in her life and/or background, of course she will still need to solve the underlying problems herself. However, using a drug to relieve the *symptoms* can clear up the extraneous stress-related problems and thus allow her to get on with solving the underlying problem.
>
> Actually, it sometimes works that way and sometimes doesn't. You need a qualified psychologist to evaluate which method you need.
>
> Medicating a problem doesn't always lead to an easier solution to the cause, and sometimes hinders it.

That's *probably* due to the patient getting the impression -- whether or not that's what the doctor intended -- that Paxil, or whatever drug, is *the* solution, rather than a means of assisting one in getting to the bottom of the problem.

Nyperold