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Danialla: I have avoided this thread so far because I have very strong opinions on this subject and because I felt that the title was very inflammatory to begin with. I was hoping that it would just go away on its own.

I'm never comfortable when I see this particular subject degenerate into opposing camps. The absolute truth of the matter is that some people identify medication as being enormously helpful to them and do not feel they could have made the turnaround they did without it. Other people identify medication as not being helpful to them and may even feel that it has harmed more than it has helped.

There is no right answer on this one, there is only your answer. If you identify medication as being personally helpful to you, you should continue to take it without apology. If you find medication to be unhelpful, you should certainly explore alternative forms of dealing with whatever symptoms you experience.

That said...

Regardless of which "camp" you might find yourself in, everyone agrees that medication comes with side effects, some of which can be quite severe. Therefore, everyone can surely see the wisdom of thoroughly investigating whatever medication you are taking or are interested in taking. Without that investigation you cannot make an truly informed decision and you are entitled to that.

It's also acknowledged that medication is big business and even though you may find meds to be helpful, that doesn't mean that the corporation that produces it has your best interests at heart -- Eli Lilly, Zyprexa and Diabetes comes to mind. Therefore, consumers are right to press for accurate and unbiased reporting so that they have the information they need to make their own best decision.

It's further acknowledged that people in crisis benefit from empathic human care and that's not the equivalent of writing a prescription. I've heard this complaint numerous times: My doctor doctors my prescription, not me. Regardless of how helpful a pill may be it is not the totality of what most people need to move into recovery. Medication is only one tool in the tool box; it's not the entire box.

Meantime, let's not beat each other over the heads about this issue. There is always going to be two camps because people are different. People who take medication have insights into that specific medication that others can benefit from. If it helps you, it just might help someone else so share what works (or doesn't work) for you.

However, people who don't take medication also have something valuable to offer because they may have found alternative coping methods. This knowledge is beneficial for those in both camps.