Why do so many people are now taking anti depressant medication?

Question

There is A LOT of depressed people in even the United States.
I myself took anti depressant medication and it did not seem to help. Maybe I did not take it long enough but I often feel waves of depression. I have had to change jobs in my middle age and that itself is stressful for me and now the company I work for is having what appears to be serious problems and I am worried about changing jobs again. I took a massive pay cut when I had to change careers. Why do I see this as depressing?

Answer 1

I think it's because there are alot of depressed people and people with anxiety, by the way I have both. There are now so many different medications that can help people, I don't believe that it's like someone said on here about insurance because there are so many people needing mental health care and can't get it due to no insurance and sometimes can't even get State Aide so they end up on the streets. Look at your situation it's alot of stress to have to change careers for less money of course it is depressing. Maybe you should have stayed on a anti depressant until it did work it does take several weeks and things are easier to deal with. I've been on an anti depressant for several years, And it's not my Dr. forcing me to take one I know the difference when I'm not on it and how much better I feel on it. I also talk to a Therapist now because of stress that was so bad I had a breakdown and it was causing my husband of 25 years and I to almost through in the towel, we are under horrible stress as my husband a man who worked in the Movie Industry waiting for a medical retirement a job he worked since he was 18 years old and gave his blood and guts too to start giving him what is due him, and living almost solely on my income. I guess you have to do what is best for yourself, but you might want to see a Dr. about your depression if you feel it is bad enough.

Answer 2

I think there have always been a lot of depressed people, but there was no effective treatment before, so they either suffered, or drank too much booze. I think a lot of the terrible things we read about in history had much to do with depression and anxiety and other mental illnesses that had not been treated, so world leaders made terrible choices. (still happening today! but hopefully things will get better over time, treatments are new). Before aspirin, people had to endure terrible physical pain without relief, before anasthesia, people had to endure surgery while awake. After these advances happened, people took advantage of them because there was terrible need.

I think there is a lot of depression now, even though we have a safer life than ever before, because technology is changing our lives faster than we can adapt and we don't have the social support that we need. I thought I read that was the number one factor on why some people get depression and some don't, not genetics, but how good their social network was. So it may well help you to go out with friends more, or join a club, or call up a family member. People move around more now, and have things like TV to compete for their time, so you have to make more of an effort to get the social support that you need.

so sorry about your situation-I feel so terrible for my husband's kids who go thru this all the time. It is stressful for anyone, and stress makes depression worse. I couldn't take the stress, and am on disability for bipolar disorder (disability has its own stressors, like poverty and shame). You can try some more medications, a lot of times the first one doesn't work, or the dosage is too low, and you do have to give it a month to work and remember to take your pills nearly every day (most people forget a lot).

good luck!

Answer 3

Because medical doctors, drug companies, and the FDA are all in it together. How easy is it to tell someone they are depressed and give them all kinds of pills so you can profit off of them rather than telling them to do yoga, exersize, mediatate, and eat healthy. How easy is it to tell society who will beleive everything the big companies pay to put on television that if they take all these magic pills they will get better. What this is what is happening right now, instead of using natural remedies that have been around forever and treating their bodies right , our society pollute their systems with these meds that medical doctors are trained to beleive will work on them. All the generations before us were probaly stressed too, I mean how stressed would you be if you didnt have anything to eat until the next crop came in or your son happened to shoot a deer. They came out fine without having to pop something every time they thought their "life was over" . I think this growing obssesion with magic pills is sickening and I hope everyone can learn to rely on themselves for little things like this and not on the very companies that want our money.

Answer 4

because all the things you have gone through are just that...depressing. i applaud you for putting the best face on it all. the anti depressants probably worked for you, but are not meant to be a remedy, to the things that cause your bouts of depression. hopefully you will learn how to cope without them, and the anti depressants don't become a lifelong treatment option for you. reassess you finances and put in place some financial backups such as cds, additional retirement contributions etc. it's not you...you're doing all the right things i'm sure...it's the times. i feel you, i'm catching hell too.
from time to time we all may need to have ourselves checked out as to what "condition our condition" is in. that could mean therapy and/or drugs. try to find the least medically invasive treatment solution to your depression, if it's necessary to take some medication. you should also learn some coping techniques to help you overcome or minimize this condition. hang in there.

Answer 5

The world is depressing with the war, gas increases, pay cuts, familys are getting hit hard and not seeing anytime of slowing down. We need a new change a better president and people can start getting their lives back on track

Answer 6

well i believe most people on anti-depressions have some form of insurance, i myself have never been on any medications and im 37...but now i have insurance and i bet if i go to the doctor he will find something to prescribe me..its a scam in my book..jus find a way to cope with your problems yourself...life is always full of ups and downs..jus take it in stride and take care of yourself

Answer 7

i think ad's are overly prescribed by doctors.that's due to two things .
first , people think it's the easy way out of their problems and instead of them working on solutions for their issues .
second , its easier for doctors to prescribe than to analyse

Answer 8

because they believe on medication. The best remedy is to drink your own urine. check on the net for more info.