Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Is depression/anxiety a symptom of AS?

All of these things-- good diet, good exercise, good thoughts, relaxation, meditation, prayer, Neurolinguistic Programming-- are, of course, going to be good for us; we are not our diagnoses, we are whole people, and nobody denies that all these things are beneficial to those with clinical depression or any other mental illness.

What concerns me greatly, however, are those who, for one reason or another, actively discourage people from taking antidepressants and/or antipsychotics. They try to get people to believe that taking these medicines is "bad" or "weak" or "being a tool of the drug companies" or some other Luddite nonsense.

I've heard these moonbats disparage these drugs in AA meetings, sitting there like wise gurus. I've seen them rake in the bucks pretending to be Christian faith healers. I've known people who were shunned out of churches for taking antidepressants. I've helped people overcome Scientology brainwashing by pointing out that getting well means not paying Scientology money so you can play with their galvanometer.

All the above listed loonies seem to me to have one thing in common-- they are not the ones who have to scrape bone fragments and brain tissue off the walls and ceiling when their hucksterism fails. They don't try to comfort the loved ones of their victims. You won't find them clearing vomit out of the mouth of overdose victims and breathing for them. They won't even show up for the funerals of those they've murdered with their primitive foolishness.

They justify it by mumbling, "Well, she just didn't have enough faith..."

I'm finding that I care a lot about this group of strangers who share the common bond of AS with me and with each other. I care enough to say to you: please, please, PLEASE do not stop taking these medications if they've been prescribed for you. Do all the other stuff; most of it helps. But don't die due to the ignorance of someone else.

Shalom,

John