Antidepressant Use Nearly Doubles

[truth seeker]

Antidepressant Use Nearly Doubles
Researchers Find Antidepressant Use Up, Psychotherapy Down
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Aug. 3, 2009 -- Antidepressant use has nearly doubled in the U.S, according to a new study.

Meanwhile, the use of psychotherapy by those prescribed the antidepressants has declined during the same period studied, from 1996 to 2005.

"I expected there to be an increase [in antidepressant use], but I didn't expect the increase to be as large as we actually found," says Mark Olfson, MD, MPH, professor of clinical psychiatry at New York State Psychiatric Institute of Columbia University, who co-authored the study with Steven C. Marcus, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

''Ten percent of the population is being treated with an antidepressant during the course of a year," he says. That compares to 5.8% in 1996, he found.

Although part of the uptick can be linked to the fact that mental health treatment is becoming more common and accepted, Olfson tells WebMD that he fears the medications may sometimes be prescribed "in a casual way."

The study appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Antidepressant Use Trends: Study Details

Olfson and Marcus analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys, sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which provides national estimates in the U.S. about health care use and costs.

For the 1996 survey, nearly 19,000 people aged 6 and older were included, and more than 28,000 in the 2005 survey. A designated adult in each household answered questions about prescribed medications, medical visits, and other information.

The rate of antidepressant treatment increased from 5.84% to 10.12 % -- or from 13 million people to about 27 million, the researchers found.

One exception to the trend involved African-Americans. "African-Americans really did stand out as one group that didn't experience a significant increase in antidepressant use," Olfson says. In 1996, 3.6% of African-Americans surveyed were on antidepressants and 4.5% in 2005.

Another important finding, Olfson says, is that fewer people on antidepressants surveyed in 2005 also took part in psychotherapy or "talk therapy." Although 31.5% of those surveyed in 1996 on antidepressants also did talk therapy, just 19.8% of those surveyed in 2005 both took antidepressants and participated in psychotherapy.

Often, the two are recommended together for depression.
Antidepressant Use Trends: Study Interpretations

The researchers say a number of factors explain the increasing use of antidepressants. "There has been broad and growing acceptance of antidepressant medicine in the U.S.," Olfson tells WebMD.

In an unrelated survey released last week, researchers found that American attitudes toward psychiatric medicines are becoming more positive. The researchers compared the responses of people in surveys done in 1998 and 2006.

Other factors explaining the increase, according to Olfson:

* Major depression is more common. Two surveys found the prevalence of major depression in adults rose from 3.3% in 1991-1992 to 7.1% in 2001-2002.
* Since 1996, several new antidepressants have come on the market.
* Clinical guidelines support the use of antidepressants for conditions other than depression, such as anxiety disorders.

The lower increase in antidepressant use among African-Americans may be cultural, Olfson says, with a tendency to embrace psychotherapy over medication. "There is also some evidence that African-Americans as compared to whites have lower rates of depression," he says. That may be part of the story as well."
The rest of the story is here: http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20090803/antidepressant-use-nearly-doubles?page=2

http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20090803/antidepressant-use-nearly-doubles

 

[Al Today]

When will more people realize that the social engineering, the blatant dumbing down of the masses by pumping them full of pharmaceuticals that mess with the brain IS happening, ON PURPOSE? What cracks me up is reading the side affects of these drugs that they may cause suicidal thoughts. Sweet BeeGeeBus man, the side effects are more deadly than the "sickness".!.!.! Just this morning I heard a MSM "news" story about the increase of depression in 6 year old children. I never claim to have advanced knowledge but how the hell does a 6 year old get depressed? Many generations of practice and fine tuning the art of control, I guess... Things are really beginning to pay off for the bad dudes, yes? This is just another dot to connect in realizing the "Terror of the Situation".


Oh by the way, search the web for "6 year old depression" are be ready to see some amazing schtuff...

[quote author=Joseph Goebbels]
It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion.
[...]
Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.
[/quote]

 

[truth seeker]

When will more people realize that the social engineering, the blatant dumbing down of the masses by pumping them full of pharmaceuticals that mess with the brain IS happening, ON PURPOSE? What cracks me up is reading the side affects of these drugs that they may cause suicidal thoughts. Sweet BeeGeeBus man, the side effects are more deadly than the "sickness".!.!.! Just this morning I heard a MSM "news" story about the increase of depression in 6 year old children. I never claim to have advanced knowledge but how the hell does a 6 year old get depressed? Many generations of practice and fine tuning the art of control, I guess... Things are really beginning to pay off for the bad dudes, yes? This is just another dot to connect in realizing the "Terror of the Situation".


Oh by the way, search the web for "6 year old depression" are be ready to see some amazing schtuff...

It is a really frightening situation. People aren't allowed to have their own feelings but rather told to cover them up with medication that they never get off of. It's really interesting how so much of the medical community (and the world by extension) doesn't seek to get to the bottom of an issue but instead encourages codependency.

I saw the articles about 6 year olds and depression. More than likely, it's the diet they're on that's causing it. What now for them, a lifetime of drug use?

 

[Seamus]

My mum was put on antidepressants, and sleeping pills after she had breast cancer several years ago. After several attempts to stop taking them, followed by such intense emotional breakdowns that she went back on them, she finally stopped taking them last fall (about 6 months ago). The doctors told her it would take her at least 6 to 8 months for the drugs to completely leave her system because they are stored in body fat.

People aren't allowed to have their own feelings but rather told to cover them up with medication that they never get off of. It's really interesting how so much of the medical community (and the world by extension) doesn't seek to get to the bottom of an issue but instead encourages codependency.

She went on the pills in the first place because she didn't think she could deal with her feelings about having cancer (death and mortality I think), and in the past 6 months she basically has had to relive the experience because the pills basically just made her numb while she was on them. In her words "they made me feel like a different person". They effected her memory and her ability to concentrate, they made her vision blurry, she had issues with her digestion, and probably other problems that she hasn't mentioned.

What really has helped my mother the most seems to have been talking about her feelings with other cancer survivors and visiting a psychiatrist who, although he is a man, has been through a similar experience, having had prostate cancer in the past. I agree that what is especially disturbing about this article is that not only are more people taking antidepressants, but fewer of them are getting actual help from psychiatrists so that they can deal with their emotions. Not that its surprising, you're both right about that.

 

[truth seeker]

My mum was put on antidepressants, and sleeping pills after she had breast cancer several years ago. After several attempts to stop taking them, followed by such intense emotional breakdowns that she went back on them, she finally stopped taking them last fall (about 6 months ago). The doctors told her it would take her at least 6 to 8 months for the drugs to completely leave her system because they are stored in body fat.

People aren't allowed to have their own feelings but rather told to cover them up with medication that they never get off of. It's really interesting how so much of the medical community (and the world by extension) doesn't seek to get to the bottom of an issue but instead encourages codependency.

She went on the pills in the first place because she didn't think she could deal with her feelings about having cancer (death and mortality I think), and in the past 6 months she basically has had to relive the experience because the pills basically just made her numb while she was on them. In her words "they made me feel like a different person". They effected her memory and her ability to concentrate, they made her vision blurry, she had issues with her digestion, and probably other problems that she hasn't mentioned.

What really has helped my mother the most seems to have been talking about her feelings with other cancer survivors and visiting a psychiatrist who, although he is a man, has been through a similar experience, having had prostate cancer in the past. I agree that what is especially disturbing about this article is that not only are more people taking antidepressants, but fewer of them are getting actual help from psychiatrists so that they can deal with their emotions. Not that its surprising, you're both right about that.

I'm so sorry to hear what your mother went through and am glad to hear she's doing better.

I think unfortunately the system isn't set up to help people get off the medication. I don't think anyone goes into a doctor thinking that they will be on medication for the rest of their lives or treatment for that matter. My mother went to a doctor for high blood pressure and was taking that medication until the end of her life. Perhaps I'm naive but I think there's something wrong with that. I guess I wouldn't make a very good psychiatrist...

 

[Seamus]

I'm so sorry to hear what your mother went through and am glad to hear she's doing better.

I think unfortunately the system isn't set up to help people get off the medication. I don't think anyone goes into a doctor thinking that they will be on medication for the rest of their lives or treatment for that matter. My mother went to a doctor for high blood pressure and was taking that medication until the end of her life. Perhaps I'm naive but I think there's something wrong with that. I guess I wouldn't make a very good psychiatrist...

Thank you so much for your kind words, my heart came up into my throat reading them.

I think you're right about medications, it seems like many people have a sort of blind faith in the power of pills to "cure what ails them", so many people seem to take them without question. I agree with you, there is something wrong with people taking medications for their entire life. I know this may not be the case, but I would hope that any good psychiatrist would work to help their patients move towards emotional health and away from medications. So maybe you would be a better psychiatrist than you think :)

 

[Mike]

I know this may not be the case, but I would hope that any good psychiatrist would work to help their patients move towards emotional health and away from medications. So maybe you would be a better psychiatrist than you think

I've dealt with a psychiatrist that I really think had my best interest in heart when assessing my situation and when I said that I wanted to come off medication couldn't break through the programming that medications are the only way that individuals can address their issues. He wasn't interested in alternative information I was exploring, specifically Sherry Roger's work 'Depression Cured at Last,' so I had to tell him that I wanted to come of the medication and be firm in my decision when he said that he thought it was a mistake. So I think that some of them just don't know better and are convinced/programmed that medications are the way.

 

[truth seeker]

I know this may not be the case, but I would hope that any good psychiatrist would work to help their patients move towards emotional health and away from medications. So maybe you would be a better psychiatrist than you think

I've dealt with a psychiatrist that I really think had my best interest in heart when assessing my situation and when I said that I wanted to come off medication couldn't break through the programming that medications are the only way that individuals can address their issues. He wasn't interested in alternative information I was exploring, specifically Sherry Roger's work 'Depression Cured at Last,' so I had to tell him that I wanted to come of the medication and be firm in my decision when he said that he thought it was a mistake. So I think that some of them just don't know better and are convinced/programmed that medications are the way.

Thanks for sharing your story Bear. I believe you're right. Unfortunately most people in the medical field are really stuck in their thinking and believe their own hype. They think they know what's best for the patient and in my experience many really aren't interested in what laymen think. I've had a couple of encounters: one where I had to insist that I didn't want to take medication for a condition that the same doctor told me would heal on its own (this reminds me of the current swine flu situation). In addition, they make a lot of money giving people medications. In fact, I just saw a short film online about this and will post the link if I can find it again.

Another situation where I had to diagnose my own treatment because they kept telling me "it was all in my head". In the end, they finally realized I was telling them the truth because now they had proof of an xray. By that time, I was so disgusted and untrusting that I just backed away from them. Luckily the problem wasn't life threatening.

I was always taught to "make nice", but these experiences have really shown me how to stand up for myself.