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Americans Double Down on Antidepressants

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Posted on Aug 4, 2009
prozac
winmentalhealth.com

The number of Americans who are exploring the concept of better living through antidepressant chemistry nearly doubled in the decade from 1996 to 2005, according to a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry—and that was well before the economic meltdown.

USA Today:

Among users of antidepressants, the percentage receiving psychotherapy fell from 31.5% to less than 20%, the study says. About 80% of patients were treated by doctors other than psychiatrists.

Patients today may be more likely to ask about antidepressant advertising, says study author Mark Olfson of Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. During the study, spending on direct-to-consumer antidepressant ads increased from $32 million to $122 million.

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By Phracktivist, August 6 at 1:51 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The kicker is that these Rx anti-depressants only work as good as a placebo according to the industry’s own studies! Meanwhile, proven alternatives like St John’s Wort and Acupuncture are shunned and people are either committing suicide, having their brains fried, or shooting up schools.

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By hippie4ever, August 5 at 12:28 pm #

I assume regular posters know how I medicate. Rather than spend money I don’t have, in a health care system I have no place in, I simply grow my own medicine. Sativas, unlike most Indicas, have been used successfully to treat depression. There’s nothing more enjoyable, to me, than a great head high that allows me to overcome a crippling depression. While pure sativas are difficult to grow indoors, newer varieties are hybrids and now top-off at four feet, and flower more predictably.

Best of all, cannabis use has never resulted in a mortality, which is more than Paxil or Prozac can claim.

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By coloradokarl, August 4 at 10:49 pm #

Give the kids speed and call it a treatment for ADHD then give them downers because 10-15 years of daily speed makes one a nervous wreck, naturaly. When my young and hyper self acted up in school around ‘70 to’75 the treatment was 18 inches long, wooden and had holes drilled in it and lasted a good week or so. The parents NEVER found out (thank God). Chemical Handcuffs are but a step towards Fascism….

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By LostHills, August 4 at 9:13 pm #

Luckily for most of us—we can’t afford “anti-depressants.” Most of us are just trying to figure out how to get through the month without getting evicted or getting our cars repoed. On my better days I feel lucky that I don’t have health care and don’t have to see a doctor. And on my best days I can squeeze out ten bucks for a twelve pack of cheap beer….

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By BlueEagle, August 4 at 7:18 pm #

Enjoy -

Dr John Rengen Virapen, Whistleblower of the Psychopathic Pharmaceutical Industry, Speaks Out

Dr John Rengen Virapen is a former scientist who after 35 years of work in the pharmaceutical industry (Eli Lilly) has left it to warn the public of the nefarious dealings and motives of the pharmaceutical industry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5uVrbH9lME

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By glider, August 4 at 4:51 pm #

For a good intro by a Westerner see Matthieu Ricard’s:

Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill

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By glider, August 4 at 4:28 pm #

“Olfson (and the New York State Psychiatric Institute) says he’s concerned about the decline in patients receiving psychotherapy”.

What a joke! Psychotherapy is faux science garbage plain and simple.  Olfson, prove to your readers there is any validity to this absurd profession.  I feel really f*cking sorry for all those shrinks and psychologists that are not making so much money after they chose to peddle such garbage.  I guess this is why they starting pushing the new happy “corporate culture” shit.  Thanks a lot for nothing.  If anyone wants to go the route of no drugs check out Buddhism before subjecting yourself to these charlatans.

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By NYCartist, August 4 at 4:02 pm #

It’s called successful marketing.

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