Originally Posted by Elphaba

I have a very different perspective than Smooth, but it comes from a particular bias. My masters degree is in counseling psychology and I was in practice for about five years. I agree that the "talking therapy" can be highly successful for a situational depression (as described by Mal of the broken relationship) and it can also be useful in conjunction with chemical treatment for a clinical depression such as Shield's had.

Contrary to what Smooth claimed, chemical inbalances have been empirically proven. Although psychologists cannot dispense drugs, psychopharmacology is required course work. Research over the last decades on the inner workings of the brain provides compelling evidence of the chemistry of "mental" disorders.

I have read Thomas Shatz and he goes so far as to say that schizophrenia is not a mental disorder at all, but simply a sane person reacting to an insane world. I would quote from the text, but it and all of my other psych texts are on a slow boat to Romania. (Who also treat schizophrenia chemically).

As far as Cruise claiming he knows the history of psychiatry, I would like to think that I know a little something of it as well. Freud was the father of psychology and his psychoanalytic theory was the original basis of the medical specialization of psychiatry. The use of drugs were never a part of that belief system and only a serendipitous event led to further research in chemical treatment. It was ugly and sometimes bizarre, but no more so than the applying of leeches for all manner of maladies.

None of my associates in psychology or sociology eschewed the use of drug treatment when used appropriately. Which says nothing other than Smooth and I ran in different circles. I did see a great deal of inappropriately prescribed drugs, but I can't attribute that to an entire class of the medical profession simply because I worked for a bad psychiatrist.

I have seen something akin to a miracle with the chemical treatment of clinical depression on many occasions. It is a remarkable and life saving tool when used appropriately. And may I add...I think Cruise is an idiot to profess to be an expert on depression specifically and psychology in general.