I was disappointed to read an artilce in the Australian today about the impacts of anti-depressants.  It is ignorant reporting and half baked reasearch like this that really makes my blood curdle.  The report claims that most people do not respond to anti-depresseants any better than to a placebo.  I'm sorry to say, that is not the case.

Most people who are genuinely depressed will generally respond to drug treatement (as is the case with most mental illnesses).  People who are feeling a little off or don't have problems with their body chemicals will not respond to drugs (or not respond well).  And not every one can take the same drugs in the same dosage.  The fine-tuning process can take time and is generally not done well by doctors (if at all).  One of the drugs in the study, Prozac, has actually been found to be effective in only 10% of people who are actually depressed.

Once again, not only mental illness, but also it's treatment is being misrepresented to the public and nothing is being done to address unhelpful stereotypes.

I'm off to fume now.  I'd write a nasty letter to the Australian, but I'm sure there are many psychologist and psychiatrists out there that are in a better position to argue the case.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23282771-2702,00.html

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