Monday, October 24, 2011

CDC: Antidepressant use skyrockets 400% in past 20 years

USA Today, Oct. 21, 2011

Use of antidepressant drugs has soared nearly 400% since 1988, making the medication the most frequently used by people ages 18-44, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

Eleven percent of Americans ages 12 years and older took antidepressants during the 2005-08 study period, the authors write. They add that though the majority of antidepressants were taken to treat depression, the drugs also can be used for anxiety disorders and other conditions.

"Unfortunately, some families are looking for a quick fix, but a pill is never going to get to the root of the problem," says David Palmiter, a psychologist and author of Working Parents, Thriving Families: 10 Strategies That Make a Difference.

Ducharme agrees. "That is the thing that bothers me the most," she says. "These drugs can be dangerous, and there needs to be follow-up care."

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