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Read other letters about this article
Yes, as many have said, primary care doctors prescribe SSRIs at the drop of a hat. And (digression) I can't help but wonder if all the direct-to-consumer advertising augments that. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/29/health/webmd/main2411011.shtml
Anyway, I hope that eventually the mom, if she had been on the Paxil courtesy of her regular doctor, does get a thorough psychiatric evaluation. As someone said earlier, if a person has bipolar and takes only an antidepressant, it can precipitate mania.
My family has suffered greatly from mental illness, including suicide and psychosis and bipolar disorder, going back several generations (and probably before that, but they were across the ocean, so no idea). The current generation of psychoactive medications has saved us, me included. They're not all good and they're not all bad.
As for the criticisms of the LW and CT, (1) it's so hard to be objective when you're close to the person. In fact, that's really a running theme of the letters (eg, people who probably should leave their lover or spouse but don't have the distance to see it). (2) How do you know that Cary did not communicate with this person earlier (ie, asap, rather than just at the time of publication herein), not that it's his job, but how do you know? (3) Whatever the timing of intervention owing to the problem being aired in a letter, thousands of other readers will learn and benefit. (4) "I cannot remember who it was who said that a family was a dictatorship ruled over by its sickest member..." ~ Moss Hart, Act One. Maybe this family has been in mom's thrall (whether always or only since dad's death) so much that perspective is impossible, and action stymied.
Best of luck.
