Antidepressants

    Many Americans are constantly being prescribed to antidepressant drugs each year. The drug industry is making millions of dollars off our vulnerability. People with mild depression symptoms are manipulated into believing that drugs like Prozac or Cymbalta will get them back on their feet. Drugs are a big step to take and could be necessary when the depression is severe. Antidepressant drugs should be given only to those who are clinically considered severely depressed.

    Different ads, commercials and magazines promote the different types of antidepressant treatment. The drugs however aren’t always the best solution especially if the patient isn’t severely depressed. The difference between a person who is severely depressed and a person who is mildly depressed can vary. For example a person who is severely depressed can experience suicide thoughts and attempts and can go through sleep disorders or concentration problems. People who are mildly depressed just feel indifferent towards people and activities they do (Russell). People who are mildly depressed, psychologically think that drugs will automatically cure the depression and will keep them on their feet. Clinical psychologist Irving Kirsch conducted a study where he took a group of depressed patients separating them into mildly depressed and severely depressed. He then had his team administer four different types of antidepressant medication which include Prozac, Paxil, Effexor and Serzone to one group. The other group received a placebo which is a sugar pill but the patients still think it’s the real medication. The point of the placebo was to see if the medication actually works or if it is all psychological. The results came back telling the researchers that the overall difference between the two isn’t as large as they thought it would be. Ben Harder explains, “…the overall difference between medication and placebo was so small, that it was ‘clinically insignificant’ for all but the most depressed patients.” This shows that the patients who are mildly depressed don’t need the drugs, however the severe cases of people who are depressed do. He also states, “The average improvement of patients getting a placebo was over 80 percent as effective.” This means that a person taking the placebo can improve their symptoms like people who are taking the actual medication. This shows that mildly depressed people don’t need medication and can use other treatments to overcome their depression. People who are mildly depressed should seek alternative treatment like therapy, talking to friends, doing their hobbies, etc. to keep their mind off the depression.

    When people go through traumatic experiences and become depressed, sometimes they misjudge how long the pain will proceed. In Jon Gertner’s article he talks about the different ideas psychologists offer about the pursuit of happiness. He writes about an idea psychologist Daniel Gilbert and his collaborator Tim Wilson had which talked about the “impact bias.” Gertner writes, “…the gap between what we predict and what we ultimately experience the ‘impact bias’—‘impact’ meaning the errors we make in estimating both the intensity and duration of our emotions and ‘bias’ our tendency to err” (8). Mildly depressed patients can often misjudge how long their depression will last. At the moment their feeling depressed they think it’s a lifelong experience they will endure. However, with therapy treatment mildly depressed patients are able to overcome their depression. They don’t need antidepressants to make them get over the depression since it is not severe. Antidepressants can also be a risk taking since the side effects can be life threatening.

    Serious side effects are related to the antidepressants taken. In Ben Harder’s article, he tells us that psychologist Kirsh admits that one of the side effects of antidepressants is increased risk of suicide. If a slightly depressed patient takes an antidepressant their risk of suicide increases and can make them more depressed then they already were. Doctors prescribe patients what they think is right for them. Nowadays, patients can tell their doctors what they want to take. According to the Patient’s Bill of Rights, patients can “participate in all decisions about your treatment” as well as refuse any treatment the doctor gives them. This can give the patients the power to tell their doctor what is best for them in their judgment.

    Depression is a terrible mood disorder that affects millions of people in America. People with mild depression should use alternative treatment like therapy instead of drugs. The drug industry is making millions of dollars and they are making commercials to make people think they really need them. There is other alternatives to go to and drugs should be given to those who are severely depressed because they struggle every day to get by.