On Wed, 07 May 2008 20:05:30 +0200, Bruno Cabasson wrote:

> we do not know much of Sam's situation

This is a very important point, and one I think Halbert might've been 
trying to make - when you said "Antidepressants are not the answer", it 
sounded to me (though on a reread, I see that I read it differently than 
you wrote it) that this might be taken as a kind of "diagnosis" or 
"recommendation" to Sam.

It is very dangerous business providing medical diagnoses in an online 
discussion forum, for the reason you said here - that we don't know the 
situation.  We're not in a position to say anything other than 
generalities, and it needs to be clear that that is the case.  The only 
ones qualified to make a diagnosis are the professionals who are trained 
to do so and who have had ample time to talk with the individual and 
understand their situation *fully*.

Some *are* better at it than others, of course.  But I would hazard a 
guess that the worst in the field would do a better job sitting down and 
talking to the individual as compared to those of us sitting here at our 
desks playing "armchair quarterback" to the profession.  Most of those in 
the profession, BTW, would avoid mixing a friendship (even an online one) 
with business - I know several people in the field, and (a) they would 
never volunteer to treat anyone they knew personally, and (b) they 
wouldn't maintain a friendship with their patients, because that can 
create a really bad situation down the road.

My $0.02 - and Sam, FWIW, I hope things start looking up for you.

Jim

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