Hmm. It's coming, but don't hold your breath. Also the preoccupation NICE has with RCTs means that the various "non-drug therapies" are judged on the basis of comparing and assessing psychological techniques, whereas all the research that's ever been done on the subject demonstrates clearly that the outcome depends on the strength of relationship that can be forged between the client and therapist. NICE are measuring the least-important part of the job, and extrapolating from that as to how the job should be done. This has let to such developments as computer programs to treat patients, and cbt delivered by workers with a couple of months training. OK, so, we all know that some people respond to self-help books and the like - bibliotherapy, as its known in the trade. But sticking plasters tend to come off quickly, and if the wound hasn't healed of itself.....Originally Posted by Nikolai
Gone, apparently, in the NHS are the days when a short course of therapy was for less than 30 sessions. Now, you are lucky to get six. (You can do a lot in six sessions, I believe, but it may not be enough to work through a lifetimes worth of unhelpful occurrances, shall we say.)
I know of someone who was advised to come off sertraline 50mg daily, which she had been on for ten years, when she wanted to become pregnant. She was told by a psychiatrist that it would be fine if she just stopped. She was not supported or signposted to psychological services, despite the fact that no psychological work had been done on the presenting issues for which she was prescribed sertraline in the first place. "I feel fine, now" was apparently sufficiently reassuring for them. Within two weeks she was pregnant, and therefore reluctant to medicate. Within a month she was suicidal, and her husband had to give up his job and stay with her 24/7 to try and help her to stay alive. The child was born and, surprise, has some emotional detachment issues which have lead to some idiots diagnosing her as having an autistic spectum disorder, rather than seeing her as being emotionally neglected because her parents couldn't cope, and having been incubated in a suicidal "atmosphere" for 9 months.
Three years on and the wife can now leave the house safely, and is probably a world authority on sertraline side effects and withdrawal, serotonin syndrome, and complimentary therapies for the above generally.
Fortunately for many of those concerned, she is too emotionally fragile to contemplate the rigours of pursuing those who badly advised her for reparations.
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