A research finding recently reports a contradiction, that the use of antidepressants has doubled over ten years (to 27 MILLION!), while the number of people seeking professional help has declined. The irony is that, as our understanding of some of the biological processes of depression has grown and with that knowledge a surge in new medicines, our nation would seem to be experiencing more depression than ever.
You might want to review the article to learn...
- What percentage of Americans now are prescribed an antidepressant? Does the number alarm you?
- What does the increase in the use of medication potentially mean?
- What are some of the other (off-label) uses of antidepressants? Why do you imagine that these medications might be used in that way?
- What does the article suggest as the reason why more people are asking for an antidepressant?
Here's the link to the original article...
Number of Americans taking antidepressants doubles
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-03-antidepressants_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Human services workers will benefit by having thorough knowledge of depression, and the separate ways in which medication and psychotherapy work to alleviate suffering from this disorder.
-Jeff
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1 comment:
The numbers are socially alarming. But why does society make a big emphasis in taking antidepressants to recover from depression? I perceive that for some people there is no right to be depressed. However, people have ups and downs; there are some necessary crises' that make them to be alert and grow. How does the political and economic system influence mental health? With the recession many people have lost site of their goals and it has become difficult to find a stable job. Consequently, depression may occur at different levels. Symptoms differ from person to person, thus some may have difficulty to sleep, and others may have physical ailments or other problems. Indeed, they may be treated with medical care, but it is important to consider alternative medicine and psychotherapy. However, other cases with severe depression can only be treated with antidepressants. The marketing industry benefits from the pharmaceutical industry's increase in advertising spending. Likewise, the pharmaceutical industry benefits from the increase in antidepressant prescriptions. I have not seen any commercials that show other alternatives, such as psychotherapy in order to recover from depression. The culture needs to change: doctors need to explore beyond traditional medical care and get more training in mental health. Furthermore, for patients, they may be more comfortable in taking medications, expecting it to work as a magic pill, instead of going to psychotherapy, because there are some fears of discussing and exposing uncomfortable feelings.
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