The problem is, there are multiple causes of depression and anxiety. One of the
major causes is financial stress. Thus, for many patients, a big dose of money
- or, better yet, a steady stream of monthly work income - does the trick.
However, poverty and economic inequality are not the only causes of mental
health problems. People may suffer anxiety or depression as a result of racism,
marital conflict, the death of a parent, spouse, or child, and various other
issues (including, perhaps, the media harassment, expectations and lack of
privacy imposed on some Hollywood celebrities).

That said, this "bonkers" article is obviously tongue-in-cheek. :-)

Jeff


Quoting Diana Liw <[log in to unmask]>:

> This is very interesting!  However, there are a couple of assumptions
> here:
> 1.  The depression and anxiety symptomalogies were the results of lack
> of money/worries about lack of money, or sudden deprivation of money.
> 2.  There are unlimited funding to provide money as therapy instead of
> drug treatment.
> 3.  It is more cost effective (probably) to just give patient money
> than drugs.
> 4.  Money is the original of all happiness.  Hmmm.....
>
> But I see plenty of rich people that are depressed and have substance
> abuse problems.  Just count all the Hollywood celebrities.
>
> >>> GRETA DOUCET <[log in to unmask]> 10/02/07 6:20 AM >>>
> Just give them more money!  Wouldn't you give them more medication?
> Greta
>
> Ana Natale-Pereira <[log in to unmask]> wrote:  what happens when the
> money runs out??
>
> Ana Natale-Pereira, MD, MPH
> Assistant Professor of Medicine
> Division of Academic Medicine, Geriatrics, and Community Programs
> Director---Community Based Networks
>
> 30 Bergen Street ADMC-6-614
> Newark, New Jersey 07102
> Office: 973-972-8994 or 1744
> Fax: 973-972-8799
> [log in to unmask]
>
> "We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the
> ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are
> now qualified to do anything, with nothing."
> ~ Mother Teresa ~
>
>
>
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 10/02/07 1:40 AM >>>
> I can't resist posting this article from the Bonkers Institute.
> Socioeconomic disadvantage is well established as a risk factor for
> depression and other psychiatric disorders, but psychiatry and its pal
> the
> pharmaceutical industry monotonously emphasise chemical imbalances (for
>
> which the evidence is very shaky - see Lacasse & Leo 2005
>
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020392),
>
> not socioeconomic imbalances.
> Of course even better than individual treatment of poverty would be
> population-level prevention of poverty!
> Melissa
>
> Therapeutic Efficacy of Cash in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depressive
>
> Disorders: Two Case Studies
> Methodius Isaac Bonkers, M.D., Principal Investigator
> Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research
> bonkersinstitute.org
> Depression and anxiety are the most common mental disorders in America,
>
> affecting more than 60 million patients every year. Pharmacological
> interventions dominate the medical management of these disorders and
> may
> include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Prozac),
> norepinephrine
> reuptake inhibitors (Strattera), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (Emsam),
>
> benzodiazepines (Valium), azaspirodecanediones (BuSpar), and any number
> of
> similarly efficacious drugs or drug combinations prescribed in
> accordance
> with strict FDA guidelines, or not, based on the treating physician's
> better
> judgment.
> Since mental illness is a lifelong condition with no known cure, the
> successful psychopharmacological management of a mental disorder such
> as
> depression or anxiety is challenging. Treatment with medication almost
>
> inevitably results in side effects requiring additional medications
> leading
> to additional side effects necessitating still more medications, in a
> self-perpetuating cycle that finally ends when the patient dies or the
>
> insurance runs out.
> This report discusses two cases in which complete symptomatic relief
> was
> achieved following the administration of large sums of money to the
> patients. The comparative safety, efficacy, and tolerability of cash is
>
> assessed. Based on our findings, the clinical utility of monetary
> incentives
> in the form of cash deposits or lump sum payments directly to patients
>
> should be reappraised as a viable alternative therapeutic modality for
> the
> treatment of mild, moderate or severe cases of anxiety with or without
>
> co-occurring depression. Cash payment should also be considered the
> treatment of choice for all major depressive disorders including mild,
>
> moderate and severe clinical or sub-clinical depression, depressed
> moods, or
> any and all dysthymic, cyclothymic or depressive symptoms appearing
> with or
> without comorbid anxiety disorders.
> Case report 1:
> The patient is a 52-year old male with a history of depression. He
> reported
> feeling sad at various times throughout his life but did not seek
> treatment
> until age 51, when the factory where he had worked for 23 years was
> permanently shut down, costing him his pension and health insurance the
> same
> year his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The patient was
> initially
> prescribed Paxil 20 mg, but after complaining of sleeplessness and
> expressing suicidal ideation, the dosage was increased to Paxil 40mg
> and
> Ambien 10mg was prescribed for insomnia. Depressive symptoms improved
> somewhat, but constant diarrhea, headache and nausea grew intolerable,
> so a
> switch from Paxil to Zoloft 50mg was tried. Within 5 weeks the
> therapeutic
> effects of Zoloft became readily apparent: the patient stopped worrying
>
> about the future and no longer seemed concerned about his wife's
> failing
> health. Numerous treatment-emergent side effects were observed but the
>
> patient was reassured by his physician that chest pain, skin rash,
> constipation, tremor, dry mouth, hypertension and palpitations were not
> life
> threatening. One month later, pharmacotherapy was discontinued because
> the
> patient refused further treatment, claiming to be cured after winning
> $200,000 in the Illinois State Lottery. A computed tomographic brain
> scan
> confirmed the patient had indeed fully recovered (see images below).
> Brain scan of depressed patient.
> Case report 2:
> The patient is a 27-year old female diagnosed with generalized anxiety
>
> disorder. She reported feeling nervous and fearful most of the time,
> constantly worried about one thing or another, and doubted her fitness
> as a
> single mother of four children aged 1-4. The patient responded well to
> Xanax
> 0.25mg with only minor side effects including dizziness, impaired
> coordination, and blurred vision. One month into treatment, the
> positive
> therapeutic effects of Xanax 0.25mg diminished noticeably, but symptoms
>
> again improved when the dosage was doubled to 0.5mg. Two weeks later,
> following a traffic accident for which she was ticketed, the patient
> reported feeling more anxious than ever, complained of nausea and
> vomiting
> in addition to increased dizziness and blurred vision, and now
> exhibited
> signs of depression as well. After several difficult weeks the patient
> was
> weaned off Xanax, and combination therapy with Lexapro 10mg and
> Cymbalta
> 60mg was initiated. At the regularly scheduled 3-month follow-up
> examination, all symptoms of anxiety and nervousness had completely
> disappeared. The patient reported zero medication side effects,
> explaining
> that she had discarded the unopened packages of Lexapro and Cymbalta
> upon
> learning she had inherited $250,000 from a distant relative. Laboratory
>
> tests were unable to verify any causal link between the inheritance of
> a
> quarter of a million dollars and the patient's subsequent recovery, but
>
> ongoing clinical evaluation and comprehensive reassessment confirmed
> significant improvement from baseline. Positive outcome was
> corroborated by
> visual examination of a mood ring worn by the patient (see images
> below).
> Suffering from chronic anxiety, patient's mood ring appears green,
> indicating tension.After inheriting $250,000, patient's mood ring
> appears
> blue, indicating tranquility.
> Analysis and Conclusions
> The brain chemistry of depression and anxiety is not fully understood.
>
> However, a growing body of evidence supports the view that people with
> these
> disorders have an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters. (Lexapro
>
> Product Brochure, Forest Pharmaceuticals, 2007.)
> Psychiatric medications relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety by
> restoring chemical balance within the brain, but exactly how these
> drugs
> restore the brain's chemical balance while simultaneously wreaking
> havoc on
> every other organ in the body remains a mystery. Equally mysterious is
> the
> mechanism by which cash payments provide therapeutic benefit to
> depressed
> and anxious patients. The receipt of a large sum of money may somehow
> stimulate, increase, block, adjust or otherwise act upon the level,
> supply,
> transmission, inhibition, secretion or excretion of dopamine,
> serotonin,
> norepinephrine, gamma aminobutyric acid or some other chemical yet to
> be
> discovered.
> Elation and euphoria are the most common side effects associated with
> cash.
> The favorable side effect profile and high response rate compared to
> placebo
> are the main advantages of cash over standard pharmaceutical treatment,
>
> while the major disadvantage of cash would appear to be its prohibitive
>
> cost. However, retrospective analysis supports the hypothesis that over
> the
> long haul cash is not only safer but also more cost-effective than any
>
> medication currently on the market.
> A depressed and/or anxious patient is typically maintained for an
> indefinite
> period of time on two or more psychiatric drugs simultaneously, in
> addition
> to numerous other medications prescribed to control side effects
> ranging
> from diabetes to high blood pressure to urinary incontinence to
> insomnia to
> everything in between. The cost of maintaining a patient on a standard
>
> treatment regimen of half a dozen or more prescription drugs might
> easily
> surpass $1,200 per month, amounting to roughly $150,000 over the course
> of
> ten years, or nearly $300,000 after 20 years. Seen in this light, a
> lump sum
> payment of $100,000 or even $200,000 would be a genuine bargain by
> comparison. Cash-strapped state Medicaid programs, squeezed by
> escalating
> pharmaceutical costs, would be well-advised to adopt formulary
> guidelines
> and preferred drug lists allowing pre-approved cash payments as a
> treatment
> alternative.
> In a random survey, 3,964 Medicaid patients were asked whether they
> would
> prefer to receive various combinations of prescription drugs for the
> rest of
> their lives, or a single lump sum payment of $250,000. The vast
> majority
> (just under 99.93%) chose the cash option. A total of 3 patients
> (slightly
> more than 0.07%) elected to continue receiving medications in lieu of
> cash.
> All three of these patients appeared to be truly sick, and in each case
> the
> illness was due to iatrogenic causes (i.e., resulting from treatment).
> Latest studies from the Bonkers Institute:
> · Schizophrenia Treatment in Seven Easy Steps
> · Addictive Properties of Shiitake Sesame Vinaigrette
> · Utilization of Placebo Rat Poison in Controlled Clinical Trials
> · Chemical Imbalance Not Otherwise Specified: Useful Diagnostic
> Category?
> · Science Made Simple: Shopper's Guide to Mental Disorders
> Therapeutic Efficacy of Cash in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depressive
>
> Disorders
> * 2007 Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research
> http://www.bonkersinstitute.org:80/cash.html
>
> -------------------
> Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT
> the subject header -- to [log in to unmask]
>
> SIGNOFF SDOH
>
> DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO
> THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
>
> To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
>
> SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
>
> To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
> Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if
> relevant.
>
> For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
>
> To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask]
> SET SDOH DIGEST
>
> To view the SDOH archives, go to:
> https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
>
> -------------------
> Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT
> the subject header -- to [log in to unmask]
>
> SIGNOFF SDOH
>
> DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO
> THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
>
> To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
>
> SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
>
> To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
> Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if
> relevant.
>
> For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
>
> To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask]
> SET SDOH DIGEST
>
> To view the SDOH archives, go to:
> https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
>
>
> -------------------
> Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT
> the subject header --  to [log in to unmask]
>
> SIGNOFF SDOH
>
> DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO
> THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
>
> To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
>
> SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
>
> To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
> Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if
> relevant.
>
> For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
>
> To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask]
> SET SDOH DIGEST
>
> To view the SDOH archives, go to:
> https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
>
> -------------------
> Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the
> subject header --  to [log in to unmask]
>
> SIGNOFF SDOH
>
> DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE
> ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
>
> To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
>
> SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
>
> To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
> Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.
>
> For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
>
> To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to
> [log in to unmask]
> SET SDOH DIGEST
>
> To view the SDOH archives, go to:
> https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
>

-------------------
Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]


To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header --  to [log in to unmask]

SIGNOFF SDOH

DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.

To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.

SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname

To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.

For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]

To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask]
SET SDOH DIGEST

To view the SDOH archives, go to: https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html