Yesterday a report on antidepressant use in the US came out that showed a marked increase of anti depressants being prescribed by doctors. Antidepressant use in the U.S. doubled from 1996 to 2005. More than 27 million people now have a prescription for an anti depressant, making it the most commonly prescribed class of medicine in the U.S. The authors also found and emphasize that pharmacology often supplants psychotherapy as the primary treatment for mental ailments. About 80% of antidepressant patients are receiving care from someone other than a psychiatrist, which means that majority of doctors who are prescribing these drugs are not experts in the field of mental health. Although there are definite positives with this increase, it is also quite scary how quickly and easily you can get your hands on these drugs without necessarily receiving proper screening.

This report indicates that there is an increased acceptance in society of the legitimacy of depression and the treatment of it. Because it is more readily accepted by the general population people are less likely to be embarrassed to seek treatment. This is a good thing for a lot of people. You don't have to feel ashamed if you are experiencing depression because it may often have a biological cause, which causes people to see it as a disease and not a weakness of the individual.

I feel there is a definite downside to the increase in prescribing anti depressants though. We are a society of quick fixes and readily giving drugs to people who may just be feeling down is just another quick fix. I think doctors need to exercise caution when diagnosing people as depressed, particularly when 80% of doctors who are prescribing these medications are not experts in this field.

When I was in Austin the last few months I started to feel very depressed and down. I knew I didn't want to go continue getting my doctorate, which made me feel like a failure since I had never really quit anything, at least not that big. I felt like I was letting everyone down, even though I knew deep down it was the right decision for me. I also didn't know what I wanted to do instead which made me considerably stressed out. I was doing temp work and I hated it, I felt alone and isolated. It was hard to be around my friends because they were all still in the program and when you are in that program it is all consuming. And on top of all of that, my ex boyfriend who was my best friend at that point and someone I talked to daily, started seeing another girl and pretty much stopped talking to me. This was the absolute lowest I had ever been.

So I thought maybe I should take an anti depressant. I had friends that had taken and currently take them so it was somewhat normalized to me. I talked to my doctor who readily wrote a prescription without any suggestion of another method of treatment or really being all that inquisitive as to what my symptoms were. Before I got my prescription filled my friend Melissa called and when I told her what I was going to do she told me that she would not recommend it. I love her and respect her opinion and she was currently in pharmacy school so I trusted her advice. Anti depressants can have negative side effects that I didn't want to mess with. I thought about it for awhile, did a little more research and decided to not get the prescription filled. Instead I signed up for a marathon, thinking that it would be a positive way to fill up my time so I wasn't just sad at home watching tv. It worked. It forced me to think about my life and the direction I wanted it to go, it made me feel good about myself again because I was accomplishing something and exercise gives you endorphins which just make you feel better. I felt in control of my life again and much more positive.

Now I don't tell that story because I think running a marathon is the solution for everyone who is depressed, but it highlights two things. First, the ease to which I could get anti depressants and second, that it wasn't even suggested that I try something else first before turning to medication. Doctors are just too quick to medicate in my opinion. "Among antidepressant users, the percentage who also received antipsychotic medications increased, whereas the percentage who also underwent psychotherapy declined" the study found. So people are turning to drugs for the only method of treatment, which for lack of a better word, is crazy to me.

When people medicate first and only, they are less likely to engage in the retrospective process of examining their lives to find ways to improve themselves or understanding why they are depressed. Taking the time to examine your issues, understanding and coping with them is a highly beneficial process. People need to deal with their problems and not just pop a pill to forget about them and I think that is a huge thing people are missing out on. Exercise and talk therapy can do wonders when depression isn't caused by biological reasons. If that doesn't work then perhaps medication is good for you, but why not try other methods first? Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in people mentally. Sure it is more difficult and takes more time than popping a pill but hard work and introspection can be good for you. A little depression now and then helps you to appreciate life when it is good. "Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." - Kahlil Gibran. I think we forget this far too often these days.

Ok enough soap boxing but that is how I feel. Again though, there is a definite purpose to depression meds and I have seen them make a huge and positive difference in peoples lives, I just don't think they are needed as often as they are prescribed.