Lot of good points made. Yes, Caladonian, we need other ways to cope, too, when the meds fail, as they are known to do at times. We do become habituated to them sometimes. I think the person's life at stake is more important than the doctor worrying about trust in the case of potential suicide. Later, the potentially suicidal person may thank the doctor for being very cautious. I have someone to thank for being that way.

Oregon, a person can fool a doctor but then I didn't even go to one when I tried to commit suicide once ( I tried it more than once). Like you said, when someone wants to do it they may not be able to be stopped. Hopefully, they will reach out to someone and tell them of their intentions. There may be those who didn't originally get the drugs to commit suicide but thought of it later, too. I think the idea of prescribing drugs that can do no harm is great. Sometimes, though, I think not even prescribing for someone who is suicidal may be a good idea, too. But instead, giving them intensive therapy and hospitalization may be better. Then sometimes a person cannot be hospitalized for some reason. When someone hides his intentions it is not easy to see, too. I know these things are complicated and there is no easy answer.

Personally, I tried suicide many times and it did not work-as you see I'm still here. I don't try it any more and don't think I will ever again but who knows for sure on that one for the future. When I feel that way I try to get help because I believe somehow things can get better. I'm still waiting on that, too....

Splash, I'm glad you and others have had a good experience with the psychotropics. Sounds like you have a good grip on what you are doing for yourself now and that's commendable.

I took the medicines for years at times with good results at times and then they stopped working for me. I did nothing wrong to bring on the change. Increasing the dose did not help either. Paxil and many others worked and then stopped working. I always take them as prescribed. Many medicines did not work for me as they would give me anxiety that would set off other symptoms, and then I'd have to take other drugs to combat that. The combinations would cause me big memory problems, sleeping too much, more depression, weight gain (50#). I could go on and on and on about this but I hope I get my point accross with just this. I went through 7 years of trying singular medicines, and combinations and giving them plenty of time-months. At times, I had intolerable side effects that lasted the entire time and I still cooperated and took them just as they were prescribed. I took one drug that kept me coughing and choking all the time and I wanted to get better so bad that I kept taking it for months and months! It never did the job. I also acquired seious liver test problems. I consulted with the doctor about side effects and how drugs quit many times. There are many others I've talked to who cannot either tolerate a lot of these drugs or the drugs have stopped working and who have had the same experiences that I have had. And they are people who wanted to get better, like me and you and the rest. Like I already said, though, they work well for others. I have always taken my therapy and my life very seriously and have been told I am a very cooperative person/client in rx/therapy. I am one who was told I might always need medicines for depression. I don't know that for sure, though. I have done allright at times without the medicines. I may or may not find another drug therapy that works and that worries me. I have symptoms of not being able to make any changes in my life right now and feeling helpless and hopeless. I try to keep busy and talk to people on a community mental health line and that helps. I just keep plugging away. But, I need to find other ways to keep coping, too, when the meds don't do it for me. Take care all.

"Things work out best for the people
Who make the best out of the way things work out."
--- Author Unknown ---