There is an interesting study out in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry that has concluded that the majority of people taking antidepressants may not actually have depression. The study found that more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of people taking antidepressants did not meet the criteria for major depressive disorder, or clinical depression.
Some 38 per cent of those taking the drugs did not meet the criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia or generalised anxiety disorder either. More than two thirds of people taking antidepressants did not meet the criteria for clinical depression.
The researchers believe that doctors are prescribing the drugs without real “evidence-based indications.” Instead, it appears that people who are experiencing normal periods of blues or unhappiness are being put on these regimes. The official guidelines state that clinical depression should be diagnosed if a person has five or more depressive symptoms over a two week period. These periods are supposed to cover most of each day and nearly every day.
The United States is not the most medicated. That position belongs to Iceland with 106 doses a day for every 1,000 inhabitants — followed by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden and Portugal. The lowest levels? Chile and South Korea.
Source: Daily Mail
@ JT
The link below is to an in-depth and comprehensive documentary on the lack of biological markers for “mental illness” and on the economics of psychotropic drug marketing and prescribing. Several psychiatrists, pharmaceutical salespeople, and many other players in this multi-billion dollar industry are interviewed:
I can never spull Rijksmuseum, even when I am here and see the signs for it every day. I like the Van Gogh Museum too. They pronounce his last name like Gock as in sock. I say Go. They let dogs in with their half blind guy pals. One would wonder why a blind guy would look at art. Just goes to show that some half blind guys can see better than they let on. We went to the favorite cathouse last night and he picked out the best looking bride. I gave a woof when he and she chose each other. They gave me a bucket of beer to drink while they caroused. Then we went to a bar on DamRak and the gal showed up and drank with us. Then we went to the canine cathouse. This is a one of a kind place. I will explain about it in a later comment. Doctors prescribe pot around here rather than pills. Amsterdam is progressive.
Let me tell you that your insurance company, especially Magellan, is quite pushy with providers about putting anyone who reports mood symptoms on them. They simply want the symptoms reduced regardless of whether you want to tai them or whether they are indicated. I am a provider
Does this take into account the prescription of anti-depressants for other uses? I’ve been prescribed them several times for chronic pain, which is obviously not depression. If anyone really cares about the application, there’s plenty of information out there about why they prescribe anti-depressants for it (and I can relate my usage of it if that helps). I’m not arguing the merits of it by any means, just offering an example of usage that is non-depression related.
Essentially, the pain is mental, and anti-depressants lessen it. Just not sure if that alternate application of the medication was taken into account when they did up these figures.
BarkinDog,
The painting is “The Old Guitarist” by Pablo Picasso.
I can second what you said about the Rijksmueum–it’s quite impressive.
The painting is done (surprisingly enough) during Picasso’s Blue Period. This is actually the period I like the best. He did a lot of circus people during this period. I had a very cheap copy of one of his pieces on my wall in college.