Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for the treatment of depression, but many individuals do not experience symptom relief from treatment. The National Institute of Mental Health’s STAR*D study, the largest and longest study ever conducted to evaluate depression treatment, found that only approximately one-third of patients responded within their initial medication…
Are we over-diagnosing mental illness?
To ease the heartache of her first child’s stillbirth, Kelli Montgomery chose rigorous exercise, yoga and meditation over the antidepressants and sleeping pills that her physicians immediately suggested. “‘You need to be on this medication or that medication.’ It was shocking to me that that was the first line of…
Are Antidepressants Overused?
Antidepressant prescriptions in the UK have increased by 9.6% in 2011, to 46 million prescriptions. Does this reflect overmedicalisation or appropriate treatment? Two experts debate the issue on bmj.com today. Glasgow GP, Dr Des Spence, thinks that "we use antidepressants too easily, for too long, and that they are effective…
Antidepressants during pregnancy don’t raise infant death risk
Antidepressants during pregnancy can be tricky
For years, pregnant women who suffer from depression have been told it’s safer for them and their unborn child to continue taking antidepressants during pregnancy. Now a new study is challenging that advice, suggesting the opposite is true and advocating against most women taking these drugs. If the depression is…