Recreational drugs temporarily make people happier? No way... I'm glad the fine minds at Yale are studying such important, ground breaking stuff. I can't wait until this research leads to new antidepressants that turn more people into zombies.
That statement implies that you're currently not medicated and also depressed. If that's the case, you really should meet with a psychiatrist; there's no reason to suffer.
The hyper-rational type of people here are more likely to believe in the absoluteness of their own perception of reality and therefore are less likely to seek treatment. If you're a hold-out and apparently in need, truly you'd be surprised how much medically-manipulated brain chemistry can improve your quality of life. A person's emotional world is highly plastic but successfully changing it requires the precise knowledge and quality control that is provided by a doctor and medicine.
According to Kirsch, antidepressant trials were also compromised by side-effect leakage: the drugs had side effects while the placebos did not, so patients knew when they were not taking a placebo. That's the equivalent of putting your finger on the scale. As far as I know, there has been no attempt to measure that distorting effect (Kirsch only mentions it), nor any clinical trials of antidepressants conducted on a level playing field, where the placebo had similar side effects to the drug. But I haven't searched, and if such studies exist, I'd welcome correction.
But keep in mind that ECT is only for crisis-level severe depression:
> ECT uses an electrical stimulus to the brain to induce seizures. It is prescribed for patients with crisis-level severe depression – who are catatonic (people who are so slowed down that they stop moving, talking and eating) or suicidal – or for patients with major depression who have not responded to medication.
I disagree. Go to a psychologist. Psychiatrists are widely regarded as pharma-sponsored drug pushers. While the OP may need medication, medication is only one tool in combating depression.
A psychologist will help you identify the root cause of your depression in a calm, non-judgemental atmosphere. He or she will explain to you how the various defense mechanisms in your mind work and how they can result in the types of thoughts and thought patterns that led to your depression. A good psychologist will help you see for yourself what is wrong and how to fix it.
That's definitely a valid approach. Ideally in maturity you reach a state where you're always 100% honest with yourself and counseling can lead you there too. Many times both approaches are used.
There are lots of off-patent medications that don't cost a fortune and can make a huge difference in quality of life for people who need them.
Either way a statement like "I'd rather be a zombie than continue on as I do today," made in earnest, sounds like someone in need of help.
If you are depressed, until you can find a solution, please use all your intellectual might to fight against the emotional bondage of depression and hold on to the rational knowledge that there remains a better existence out there, and that one day you will find it.
I'm taking your defeatist attitude as a symptom of your condition so instead of grilling you for it, I'll offer some useful advice. Do yourself a favor and buy some Rhodiola Rosea, Lemon Balm, L-Phenylalanine, L-Tryptophan and play around with the dosages. Do yourself a bigger favor and start exercising, stop eating sugar and cut out all sources of caffeine. Depression is easy to treat without turning yourself into a zombie. Don't fall for the idiotic marketing prevalent in today's medical culture - they're trying to take your money, not give you health. You don't need to trade one thing for another - the human body is not a closed system and happiness is not a zero-sum game.
But alcohol manufacturing processes have plenty of quality control applied to them. Not to mention that prescription medicines have a high incidence of being used recreationally. This point is moot.
I obviously only skimmed the article then proceeded to make fun of it. It's fairly obvious to me though that ketamine makes people less depressed temporarily is a non-story and the article is overselling the importance of the research. I forget that my world class sarcasm is unappreciated here though!
I (perhaps wrongly) assumed he was thinking about the use of what are currently used as recreational drugs, rather than describing current antidepressants or the state of people currently taking them.
