Excellent Letter to the Editor

In today’s Oregonian:

“In his Jan. 24, letter, “Question antidepressants,” William Todd Schultz writes with all the smug certainty of a man who has never suffered a serious serotonin deficiency. If he had, I can assure you that he would not be sneering about “negative feelings” and “wip[ing] them out with medicines.”

Rather, he would be talking about suicidal depression, which is an entirely different thing.

I can’t speak for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration antidepressant trials, but I can tell you that antidepressants save lives every single day. I know, because mine is one of them.”

PENNY PADGETT HARPER Tualatin

What a great line – “with all the smug certainty of a man who has never suffered”. After opening with the reference to the previous letter being challenged, the author then ends the sentence with an accurate fact. She follows with another, and ends with her personal experience spoken from the heart. Ninety-five words, when the limit is 150.

A classic Letter to the Editor, making an important point. Nicely done, Ms. Harper.