I loved John McManamy’s post today on the antipsychiatry folks.

Because he addresses an issue I used to struggle with a lot … if my meds would kill my creativity. Now I know better … having read the wisdom of such authors as Kay Redfield Jamison and Peter Kramer. But John succinctly comes to defend meds in the same way the masters have done, and for that I am most appreciative.

Because we suffer enough as it is. Please. Prozac isn’t going to keep me from writing. Prozac is going to keep me from writing about wanting killing myself. And sometimes it doesn’t even do that.

I’d advise you to take a peak at his article by clicking here.

An excerpt:

First Stan comments on Vincent Van Gogh:

“If he lived today he would be locked away painting blank canvasses to no one … blinded by antipsychotics … “

Actually, Stan, for all we know, he might have picked up an Oscar the other night and thanked Pfizer for making it possible. What we do know is that Van Gogh aimed a pistol at his chest and pulled the trigger. He was 37.

But Stan contends, “it was never a life in vain.”

Let’s defer to Van Gogh, himself, on this: “What am I in the eyes of most people – a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person – somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low.”

Who knows what choices Van Gogh would make today? Maybe he would choose not to lead a tortured life. Maybe he would choose to stay on meds. Maybe he would choose not to paint. That’s the point, he could choose. He would have choices.

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