Antidepressants Are over Prescribed
Antidepressants are overprescribed
Mitrea (2007) defines antidepressants as an agent or a drug that is most commonly used to prevent or treat depression. However, in today’s society it could be said that antidepressants are being over prescribed and are being used to treat a vast range of other conditions, as well as clinical depression. When the first antidepressant was developed, manufacturers were reluctant to put it on the market due to the extremely low number of people suffering from depression. Now, antidepressant drugs have a very dominant place in the drug market, with studies showing that they are now one of the most widely prescribed categories of drugs (Mark 2010). There could be a number of reasons for this increase in antidepressant prescriptions; more people in today’s society could be suffering from depression, or the drugs could indeed be being over prescribed by doctors. This essay will aim to critically discuss whether antidepressants are being over prescribed or perhaps under prescribed, and if the diagnosis for depression needs to be reviewed in order to prescribe antidepressants more appropriately.
Various studies have been carried out that aim to show that the proportion of antidepressants being prescribed without a psychiatric diagnosis is growing, concluding that antidepressant drugs are being overprescribed. Research by Mojtabai & Olfson (2011) found that the increase over the years has come from prescriptions written by non-psychiatrist providers, for patients who do not have a psychiatric or mental health diagnosis. Antidepressants are not being prescribed solely for depression; they are also used to treat chronic pain, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and even eating disorders (Parker 2005). The symptoms for depression are a depressed mood, taking less pleasure in life, lack of energy, changes in appetite, restless habits, feeling worthless and guilty, and suicidal thoughts (American Psychiatric
Mitrea (2007) defines antidepressants as an agent or a drug that is most commonly used to prevent or treat depression. However, in today’s society it could be said that antidepressants are being over prescribed and are being used to treat a vast range of other conditions, as well as clinical depression. When the first antidepressant was developed, manufacturers were reluctant to put it on the market due to the extremely low number of people suffering from depression. Now, antidepressant drugs have a very dominant place in the drug market, with studies showing that they are now one of the most widely prescribed categories of drugs (Mark 2010). There could be a number of reasons for this increase in antidepressant prescriptions; more people in today’s society could be suffering from depression, or the drugs could indeed be being over prescribed by doctors. This essay will aim to critically discuss whether antidepressants are being over prescribed or perhaps under prescribed, and if the diagnosis for depression needs to be reviewed in order to prescribe antidepressants more appropriately.
Various studies have been carried out that aim to show that the proportion of antidepressants being prescribed without a psychiatric diagnosis is growing, concluding that antidepressant drugs are being overprescribed. Research by Mojtabai & Olfson (2011) found that the increase over the years has come from prescriptions written by non-psychiatrist providers, for patients who do not have a psychiatric or mental health diagnosis. Antidepressants are not being prescribed solely for depression; they are also used to treat chronic pain, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and even eating disorders (Parker 2005). The symptoms for depression are a depressed mood, taking less pleasure in life, lack of energy, changes in appetite, restless habits, feeling worthless and guilty, and suicidal thoughts (American Psychiatric
References: American Psychiatric Association (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Revised 4th edition) Begley, S. & Kliff, S. (2010) The depressing news about antidepressants Barber, C. (2008) Comfortably Numb: How psychiatry is medicating a nation Geddes, J Carney, S, Davies, C Furukawa, T Kupfer, T, Frank, E. Goodwin G (2003) Relapse prevention with antidepressant drug treatment in depressive disorders: a The Lancet 361(9358): 653‐661 John Hopkins University Blomberg School of Public Health (2011) Macdonald, S., Morrison, J., Maxwell, M., Munoz-Arroyo, R., Power, A., Smith, M., Sutton, M., & Wilson, P. (2009) ‘A coal face option’: GP’s perspectives on the rise in antidepressant prescribing Mark, T.L. (2010) For what diagnosis are psychotropic medications being prescribed?: A nationally representative survey of psysicians CNS Drugs 24(4): 319-326 Melander et al (2008) Mitrea, L.S., (2007) Natural Medicone Mosiac, Volume 1. Nutt DJ and Sharpe M (2008) Uncritical positive regard? Issues in the safety and efficacy of psychotherapy. Reid, I. (2009) Antidepressants are under – not over – prescribed