Rosie DiManno is right in saying that it took us a "hundred years" to
"realize that perhaps depression is physiological in nature for many
people" (Column, April 1).

But it took us a few decades longer to realize that it also has strong
psychological components. Biology merely disposes one to it.

She is wrong in her claim that "new, anti-depressants can almost
immediately accomplish what therapy could not." Anti-depressant
medications usually take several weeks to work, and in clinical
trials, have success rates similar to those for verbal therapy.

In fact, cognitive therapy seems to produce lower relapse rates than
drug treatments.

DiManno further suggests that we conduct research to find new drugs in
order to cure those "predisposed to drug addiction."

Research has shown little support for the existence of an "addictive
personality," but even were we to accept that such a thing existed, is
it really a good idea to preemptively put healthy people on drugs to
stop them using drugs?

Alex Gunz
Etobicoke