Antidepressants most prescribed drugs in U.S.

[THE BOUNCER]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/07/09...nts/index.html

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Dr. Ronald Dworkin tells the story of a woman who didn't like the way her husband was handling the family finances. She wanted to start keeping the books herself but didn't want to insult her husband.

The doctor suggested she try an antidepressant to make herself feel better.

She got the antidepressant, and she did feel better, said Dr. Dworkin, a Maryland anesthesiologist and senior fellow at Washington's Hudson Institute, who told the story in his book "Artificial Unhappiness: The Dark Side of the New Happy Class." But in the meantime, Dworkin says, the woman's husband led the family into financial ruin.

"Doctors are now medicating unhappiness," said Dworkin. "Too many people take drugs when they really need to be making changes in their lives."
DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS

Could you be depressed? Not everyone who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some people experience a few symptoms, some many.

* Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood

* Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism

* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

* Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex

* Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"

* Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions

* Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

* Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain

* Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts

* Restlessness, irritability

* Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain


Source: National Institute of Mental Health

For Dworkin, the proof is in the statistics. According to a government study, antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. They're prescribed more than drugs to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, or headaches. Video CNN's Elizabeth Cohen discusses the CDC study on antidepressants »

In its study, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at 2.4 billion drugs prescribed in visits to doctors and hospitals in 2005. Of those, 118 million were for antidepressants.

Many psychiatrists see this statistic as good news -- a sign that finally Americans feel comfortable asking for help with psychiatric problems.

"Depression is a major public health issue," said Dr. Kelly Posner, an assistant professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. "The fact that people are getting the treatments they need is encouraging."

She added that 25 percent of adults will have a major depressive episode sometime in their life, as will 8 percent of adolescents. "Those are remarkably high numbers," Posner said.

While Posner says genuine depression is driving the prescription numbers, Dr. Robert Goodman, an internist in New York City, says the real force behind skyrocketing antidepressant prescription rates is pharmaceutical marketing to doctors and to consumers. "You put those two together and you get a lot of prescriptions for antidepressants," he said.

He questions whether all those prescriptions are necessary. "It's hard to believe that number of people are depressed, or that antidepressants are the answer," he said.

Goodman is the founder of a group called "No Free Lunch," a group that encourages doctors to reject gifts from pharmaceutical companies. He added that patients sometimes see ads for antidepressants on television and ask doctors for the drugs -- and that studies show these requests work.

In a study published two years ago in the Journal of the American Medical Association, actors pretending to be patients went to doctors in the San Francisco area and said they were depressed.

The "patients" who asked for an antidepressant were significantly more likely to get a prescription for one than patients who didn't ask for an antidepressant.


"Patients' requests have a profound effect on physician prescribing in major depression and adjustment disorders," concluded the study's authors.
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But Posner's concern is about over-prescribing, not under-prescribing.

"Fifty percent of African-Americans who have depression don't seek treatment for it," she said. "Not enough people are getting the treatment they need."

[THE BOUNCER]

I wonder how many people are on these drugs when they really do not need it. Kind of scary. Seems like docs are pushing this shit at the drop of a hat.

[FitnessBrat]

I think mental health is so much more acceped now than it ever was - so obviously the prescribing of meds is more prevalent. But I also agree that people are masking underlying problems that could possibly be resolved without the use of meds/or that could end the use after some time.

[THE BOUNCER]

Ya I mean, it seems like you go to the doc and say, "i got into an argument with my friend and i am upset", doc replys "hmm upset you say, ok i am going to put you on some depression meds. lol

[dreamgirl]

I just heard this article being talked about on the radio. I went on anti-depressants after I had that cute little boy in my avatar. When he was born I was constantly crying. I wished he was never born, I hated him. I was mad at myself for "ruining" my life with another child.

This was post-partum depression. I went on effexor and in 3 days I completely stopped crying. They were wonderful for me. They helped me be my normal self. But you don't forget all the feelings and thoughts you had from before you were on the meds. I felt extremely guilty for the things I thought towards my son.

I stayed on them for 7 months and then weaned off. I was completely back to my normal self once I was off of them. I can't imagine what it would have been like for me to have not been on them during that time. It made me never want to get pregnant again, because I never wanted to go back to that and those horrible feelings. I am fortunate that it happend with my 2nd pregnancy and not my 1st. I probably would have ended up with only one child.

I know that I was one of the few who should have been on them.

[THE BOUNCER]

Originally Posted by dreamgirl

I just heard this article being talked about on the radio. I went on anti-depressants after I had that cute little boy in my avatar. When he was born I was constantly crying. I wished he was never born, I hated him. I was mad at myself for "ruining" my life with another child.

This was post-partum depression. I went on effexor and in 3 days I completely stopped crying. They were wonderful for me. They helped me be my normal self. But you don't forget all the feelings and thoughts you had from before you were on the meds. I felt extremely guilty for the things I thought towards my son.

I stayed on them for 7 months and then weaned off. I was completely back to my normal self once I was off of them. I can't imagine what it would have been like for me to have not been on them during that time. It made me never want to get pregnant again, because I never wanted to go back to that and those horrible feelings. I am fortunate that it happend with my 2nd pregnancy and not my 1st. I probably would have ended up with only one child.

I know that I was one of the few who should have been on them.

Ya, in your case, they were the right thing to be on. Glad you are back to feeling like yourself again. You got a good looking kid there.

[FitnessBrat]

Originally Posted by dreamgirl

I just heard this article being talked about on the radio. I went on anti-depressants after I had that cute little boy in my avatar. When he was born I was constantly crying. I wished he was never born, I hated him. I was mad at myself for "ruining" my life with another child.

This was post-partum depression. I went on effexor and in 3 days I completely stopped crying. They were wonderful for me. They helped me be my normal self. But you don't forget all the feelings and thoughts you had from before you were on the meds. I felt extremely guilty for the things I thought towards my son.

I stayed on them for 7 months and then weaned off. I was completely back to my normal self once I was off of them. I can't imagine what it would have been like for me to have not been on them during that time. It made me never want to get pregnant again, because I never wanted to go back to that and those horrible feelings. I am fortunate that it happend with my 2nd pregnancy and not my 1st. I probably would have ended up with only one child.

I know that I was one of the few who should have been on them.

Perfect example of the help these meds can provide! Post-partum depression is a terrible/sad thing for women.

[dreamgirl]

thank you bouncer and fitnessbrat

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

Ya I mean, it seems like you go to the doc and say, "i got into an argument with my friend and i am upset", doc replys "hmm upset you say, ok i am going to put you on some depression meds. lol

That's exactly how it would play out - sad but true ...

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by FitnessBrat

I think mental health is so much more acceped now than it ever was - so obviously the prescribing of meds is more prevalent. But I also agree that people are masking underlying problems that could possibly be resolved without the use of meds/or that could end the use after some time.

You can say that about 1000 times again...

[Shibby]

Originally Posted by dreamgirl

I just heard this article being talked about on the radio. I went on anti-depressants after I had that cute little boy in my avatar. When he was born I was constantly crying. I wished he was never born, I hated him. I was mad at myself for "ruining" my life with another child.

This was post-partum depression. I went on effexor and in 3 days I completely stopped crying. They were wonderful for me. They helped me be my normal self. But you don't forget all the feelings and thoughts you had from before you were on the meds. I felt extremely guilty for the things I thought towards my son.

I stayed on them for 7 months and then weaned off. I was completely back to my normal self once I was off of them. I can't imagine what it would have been like for me to have not been on them during that time. It made me never want to get pregnant again, because I never wanted to go back to that and those horrible feelings. I am fortunate that it happend with my 2nd pregnancy and not my 1st. I probably would have ended up with only one child.

I know that I was one of the few who should have been on them.

So basically your wires were crossed and you were blaming him for your choices and the meds helped you get control of yourself until your body was back to normal and you could analyze your emotions? I'm sure you used it how it was suppose to be used, I don't think anyone is meant to live the rest of their life on it and I think that's what the article leans towards. That if you have to live on them then you need to do more about your life than just take meds.

I heard this being talked about on the radio today also (read it here first though ) and I thought it was funny because after that I hear a commercial for a doctors office talking about "Do you feel like things are out of control... You want to make changes to your mood but you just can't... Then come see us!" lol. You would think the station would have done better at leading into a commercial that helps pay their salary.

[fog_hat1981]

Most doctors will tell you that self-diagnosis based on heavy advertisements from pharmaceutical companies and the google/web md savvy is killing their practice - people come in already wanting/knowing/expecting something and doctors don't want to lose their patients because they won't "help" - most patients will shop around until the find a doctor who gives them what they want so others have slowly resorted to just doing the same as they need patients to have a practice...

Quite a big problem IMO....

[dreamgirl]

Originally Posted by Shibby

So basically your wires were crossed and you were blaming him for your choices and the meds helped you get control of yourself until your body was back to normal and you could analyze your emotions? I'm sure you used it how it was suppose to be used, I don't think anyone is meant to live the rest of their life on it and I think that's what the article leans towards. That if you have to live on them then you need to do more about your life than just take meds.

For me, it wasn't about blaming or choosing to put blame, in my own head it was his fault. It's hard to explain. When you're brain is woking like that, you believe what you are thinking. So, I ended up hating him. I didn't choose to blame him or hate him, I just did. I knew at the time that was wrong thinking, but seriously I couldn't stop. I couldn't make myself snap out of it. I tried for 4 months before going to the dr. my best way of describing it is that you truly aren't sane... at that point I wasn't. I needed help and counseling wasn't going to do it... they did try that first, but it didn't change the way I felt.

The scary thing about when you go on the anti-depressants is that you don't forget what you thought before. So when I went on them and I was then back to my normal thinking, I was devastated that I ever thought these things about my brand new baby! I felt a horrible sense of guilt. I felt like for 4 months I was an awful mother for thinking those things.

This isn't a fake thing. I hope by posting this that maybe one person on here may see someone they know that has these signs and get them to a dr. for help. It's seriously hard for anyone to understand if they have never gone through something like this.

I also agree Shibby for post-partum depression it should only be a certain amount of time thing while taking meds... but if for someone this isn't caused by a specific thing and they are like this all the time, then they probably should stay on them for life. Honestly you can't imagine how dark that place is. I will say it again... I made my husband have a vasectomy after I was on the anti-depressants for about 4 months, because I wanted NO CHANCE of ever becomming pregnant again and maybe going back to that place. That's how horrible it is.

I agree that they are probably being prescribed when they truly aren't necessary.

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by dreamgirl

For me, it wasn't about blaming or choosing to put blame, in my own head it was his fault. It's hard to explain. When you're brain is woking like that, you believe what you are thinking. So, I ended up hating him. I didn't choose to blame him or hate him, I just did. I knew at the time that was wrong thinking, but seriously I couldn't stop. I couldn't make myself snap out of it. I tried for 4 months before going to the dr. my best way of describing it is that you truly aren't sane... at that point I wasn't. I needed help and counseling wasn't going to do it... they did try that first, but it didn't change the way I felt.

The scary thing about when you go on the anti-depressants is that you don't forget what you thought before. So when I went on them and I was then back to my normal thinking, I was devastated that I ever thought these things about my brand new baby! I felt a horrible sense of guilt. I felt like for 4 months I was an awful mother for thinking those things.

This isn't a fake thing. I hope by posting this that maybe one person on here may see someone they know that has these signs and get them to a dr. for help. It's seriously hard for anyone to understand if they have never gone through something like this.

I also agree Shibby for post-partum depression it should only be a certain amount of time thing while taking meds... but if for someone this isn't caused by a specific thing and they are like this all the time, then they probably should stay on them for life. Honestly you can't imagine how dark that place is. I will say it again... I made my husband have a vasectomy after I was on the anti-depressants for about 4 months, because I wanted NO CHANCE of ever becomming pregnant again and maybe going back to that place. That's how horrible it is.

I agree that they are probably being prescribed when they truly aren't necessary.

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we're glad you're better now DG ...

Also - I have nothing against meds when they're needed - just the abuse of them when someone with problems refuses to fix the root cause because even then the meds won't help like they're supposed to...

[THE BOUNCER]

Originally Posted by fog_hat1981

Most doctors will tell you that self-diagnosis based on heavy advertisements from pharmaceutical companies and the google/web md savvy is killing their practice - people come in already wanting/knowing/expecting something and doctors don't want to lose their patients because they won't "help" - most patients will shop around until the find a doctor who gives them what they want so others have slowly resorted to just doing the same as they need patients to have a practice...

Quite a big problem IMO....

yep. just type in any kind of ailment into google. first thing that pops up is a bunch of forums for hypochondriacs all asking, "do i have this, do I have that".

[Shibby]

Originally Posted by dreamgirl

For me, it wasn't about blaming or choosing to put blame, in my own head it was his fault. It's hard to explain. When you're brain is woking like that, you believe what you are thinking. So, I ended up hating him. I didn't choose to blame him or hate him, I just did. I knew at the time that was wrong thinking, but seriously I couldn't stop. I couldn't make myself snap out of it. I tried for 4 months before going to the dr. my best way of describing it is that you truly aren't sane... at that point I wasn't. I needed help and counseling wasn't going to do it... they did try that first, but it didn't change the way I felt.

The scary thing about when you go on the anti-depressants is that you don't forget what you thought before. So when I went on them and I was then back to my normal thinking, I was devastated that I ever thought these things about my brand new baby! I felt a horrible sense of guilt. I felt like for 4 months I was an awful mother for thinking those things.

This isn't a fake thing. I hope by posting this that maybe one person on here may see someone they know that has these signs and get them to a dr. for help. It's seriously hard for anyone to understand if they have never gone through something like this.

I also agree Shibby for post-partum depression it should only be a certain amount of time thing while taking meds... but if for someone this isn't caused by a specific thing and they are like this all the time, then they probably should stay on them for life. Honestly you can't imagine how dark that place is. I will say it again... I made my husband have a vasectomy after I was on the anti-depressants for about 4 months, because I wanted NO CHANCE of ever becomming pregnant again and maybe going back to that place. That's how horrible it is.

I agree that they are probably being prescribed when they truly aren't necessary.

That all was very intriguing. I have never known anyone to go through all that. It makes me nervous about my wife having a second child. That's a lot of the reason I was asking questions. She didn't have any problems after our son, but if she does with the next one I want to be some what prepared to help her take care of herself.

[Alin]

i think some depression in men can be related to low natural testosterone levels.