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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phil on July 3, 2015, at 21:40:36
I don't know if this is news. It is to me.
Posted by SLS on July 4, 2015, at 8:30:51
In reply to One in ten Americans take antidepressants, posted by Phil on July 3, 2015, at 21:40:36
> I don't know if this is news. It is to me.
>
> http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/astounding-increase-in-antidepressant-use-by-americans-201110203624I do not think that the efficacy of antidepressants is overstated for people whose depression is the type for which these drugs are best-suited to treat. In other words, I think depressive disorders (Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder) are over-diagnosed. There is no motivation on the part of general practitioners and many psychiatrists to attempt making a differential diagnosis between biogenic and psychogenic depression; that is to say, which treatment is to be chosen when a patient enters the treatment room and complains of "depression". Depression has many faces. I don't know if psychotherapy is considered often enough in depression that is not clearly biogenic.
Another factor might be that there has been an increase in the psychosocial stresses present in the culture of the United States, from pre-school to retirement. These can damage the brain through several mechanisms and lead to depressive disorders, especially when these stresses occur early in life, including adolescence. A rate of incidence of depression being as high as 10% does not sound unreasonable to me. I just don't know what the true rate of affective illness is (MDD + BD).
Antidepressants are now prescribed for ailments other than those that are psychiatric. This might account for some of the increase in prescriptions.
Certainly, the drug companies are enjoying a windfall for the over-diagnosis of MDD. However, they are not responsible for the lack of use of diagnostic protocols. Unfortunately there are no readily available biological tests for MDD or BD, although several are being looked at in research milieus.
- Scott
Posted by Christ_empowered on July 4, 2015, at 19:47:59
In reply to Re: One in ten Americans take antidepressants, posted by SLS on July 4, 2015, at 8:30:51
Antidepressants aren't all bad. My wellbutrin sr is helping lift my mood a bit and also improve concentration. Actually, now that I'm at 400mgs/day, I'm also more in control of my eating, which is huge.
That said...1 in 10 is huge. I get the impression that a lot of social problems are psych-babbled as "personal problems." "The personal is political," right?
Unemployment. Underemployment. Marital instability. Broken families. Social class issues. Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. Aging.
These are all problems/issues that are rooted in society and the economy, but the immediate effects are often personal. Unemployed? LOSER! Never mind that lots of people are now unemployed or underemployed.
Undoubtedly, depression is a problem. I've had psychotic depression, so...antidepressants are sort of a big deal for me, and I'm glad there are now a number of options out there. That said, you can't throw pills at (poverty. homophobia, misogyny, terrible family dynamics, etc.) and expect things to "get better." Its just what I think of as the medicalization of misery and distress.
Posted by rjlockhart37 on July 4, 2015, at 22:25:25
In reply to One in ten Americans take antidepressants, posted by Phil on July 3, 2015, at 21:40:36
antidepressants have tripled over the years, basically it's medicating out negative feelings.....i have depression bad, and i have to take the prozac and the nuvigil, but still even that after the years that feeling of just like no one knows what you feel like, only see the outside personality......i've had to fake many of my friends for them not to see depressio because who wants to be around someone who's lifeless.....having to medicate with stimulants and antidepressants.....
main thing is to learn how depression works, both on the inside and out......and maybe help people understand why their feeling sad or understimulated for no reason....i think like the perception of how someone see's reality.....
Posted by bleauberry on July 6, 2015, at 9:15:57
In reply to One in ten Americans take antidepressants, posted by Phil on July 3, 2015, at 21:40:36
I think it is more like 3 in 10. Or more. Pick any random group of customers or workers in a big box store, or anywhere in public with lots of mixed people, and I would bet 50% of them take some sort of psychiatric medication. It is sad that our treatment experts put all of their focus on symptom control rather than cure. With a cure approach....not nearly the impossible thing experts think it is....common people like me do it....millions of us actually....with a cure approach medications are no longer needed at all.
We as a nation are not there. But the "there" is already here.
I think one in ten is greatly understated. Could be wrong. imo
Posted by SLS on July 6, 2015, at 9:39:12
In reply to Re: One in ten Americans take antidepressants, posted by SLS on July 4, 2015, at 8:30:51
> I do not think that the efficacy of antidepressants is overstated for people whose depression is the type for which these drugs are best-suited to treat. In other words, I think depressive disorders (Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder) are over-diagnosed. There is no motivation on the part of general practitioners and many psychiatrists to attempt making a differential diagnosis between biogenic and psychogenic depression; that is to say, which treatment is to be chosen when a patient enters the treatment room and complains of "depression". Depression has many faces. I don't know if psychotherapy is considered often enough in depression that is not clearly biogenic.
>
> Another factor might be that there has been an increase in the psychosocial stresses present in the culture of the United States, from pre-school to retirement. These can damage the brain through several mechanisms and lead to depressive disorders, especially when these stresses occur early in life, including adolescence. A rate of incidence of depression being as high as 10% does not sound unreasonable to me. I just don't know what the true rate of affective illness is (MDD + BD).
>
> Antidepressants are now prescribed for ailments other than those that are psychiatric. This might account for some of the increase in prescriptions.
>
> Certainly, the drug companies are enjoying a windfall for the over-diagnosis of MDD. However, they are not responsible for the lack of use of diagnostic protocols. Unfortunately there are no readily available biological tests for MDD or BD, although several are being looked at in research milieus.I found the following:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/a-glut-of-antidepressants/?_r=0
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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