Doctors deserve our respect, if only for the fact that they're intelligent and made it through med school. Like others have said, not only do they have academic knowledge but they have a lot of real world experience to boot. If I walked into my doctor's office and proclaimed what google and I had diagnosed, I'd not be listened to or worse. There is a certain amount of knowledge we can gain by researching on our own, and that should be done if you care to know more about your condition and medications.

The fact remains that working with psych conditions is a partnership of your experience and the doctor's knowledge. They have the final say when it comes to medications, and we have to respect that fact. If after trying your best the doctor's treatment isn't working, it's time to find another doc. This sucks, but sometimes it's necessary.

The best reading I've done, after informing myself of my condition, is to read the prescribing information that is available for every medication. I'm not talking about the patient information that the pharmacy sticks in with your meds, but the full brochure showing the studies, side effects, contraindications, and everything else the docs use to inform themselves. These documents are a treasure trove of information, far more than a doc can lay out in a 15-minute session. It's clear, concise, and if you care about what you're taking it's a good read. Do yourself a favor and look it up, you'll learn more about your meds than you could ever want to know. You'll also learn about important side effect profiles that others have experienced during clinical trials.