USA in deep depression: Americans develop addiction to mood pills

Scientists from Harvard University (Massachusetts, USA) noted that the sales of such antidepressants as Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozak, Celexa, and many others, have increased significantly over the past two years in the country. It appears that the whole nation has slipped into a state of deep depression. However, the conducted by the University found that most of the people who buy antidepressants do not suffer from depression, Pravda.Ru reports.

"Objective: Past studies have shown that many individuals who use antidepressants have no current or lifetime history of mental disorders. However, recent studies suggest that the one-time retrospective evaluation of mental disorders commonly used in such studies may substantially underestimate the true lifetime prevalence of mental disorders. We examined the prevalence of mental disorders, assessed prospectively over multiple interviews, among individuals currently using antidepressants in a community sample.

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"...Conclusions: Many individuals who are prescribed and use antidepressant medications may not have met criteria for mental disorders. Our data indicate that antidepressants are commonly used in the absence of clear evidence-based indications." Prescriptions for anti-depressants have skyrocketed over the past several decades. In 1998, 11.2 million Americans used these drugs. By 2010, it was 23.3 million," the study, published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, reads.

The researchers are particularly concerned about the fact that the sales of the above-mentioned medications have grown by 400 percent in the recent five years, Pravda.Ru correspondent says. The drugs can be found in almost every other US home, whereas people forget that there are many natural remedies that can help them feel better avoiding side effects and saving their family budget.

Read article on the Russian page of Pravda.Ru