X-Message-Number: 12197
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 05:49:09 +0000
From: Kennita Watson <>
Subject: re best devices, etc.

Mr. Grigg --

Briefly, do not spend money on devices, books, or anything else
until after you have been on your antidepressants for at least a
month.  Maladjusted brain chemistry can badly impair your ability
to objectively evaluate the value of any given therapeutic
measure.  David Burns's "The Feeling Good Handbook" can also help, 
if you stick with it (don't take my word for it, though).

Once you have your brain chemistry on track, put on your skeptic's
cap and look at all the devices, etc. again.  My own opinion is 
that virtually all such things are quackery.  Perhaps you have 
seen many glowing recommendations for each one, but remember the
placebo effect -- about a third of people who try *any* treatment 
will improve due to this effect, if not due to random chance.  
That's enough people to give even a completely ineffective 
treatment quite a few glowing recommendations.  Don't shell out 
big bucks for anything that doesn't have a few placebo-controlled,
double-blind studies behind it.  If you're going to rely on the
placebo effect, at least do it with something relatively 
inexpensive.

As far as information on relationships, self-help, or anything 
else, you can probably find plenty for free on the Web if you 
look.  Speaking of which, if you want something worthwhile to
spend your money on, your own used PC, a modem, and a year's worth
of Internet access may be by far the best investment you could make.

And because I can't stress it enough, do something about the 
depression first.

In My Opinion,
Kennita
-- 
Kennita Watson           |   Late to bed, early to rise,
       |      work like hell, and advertise."  
http://i.am/Kennita      |               -- Werner von Braun

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