Since the creation of antidepressants in the 1950s, this pharmaceutical drug has been under intense scrutiny from both scientists and civilians. This is because there is a vast range of views revolving around the use of antidepressants since various studies have questioned the effectiveness of the drug and the criteria set up for prescribing it. However, antidepressants deserve that apprehension because it affects society by incapacitating its members through their harmful side effects including increased suicidal thoughts.
Antidepressants first appeared when a medication created to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia altered the activity of the brain’s neurotransmitters, resulting in the ability to send the patient into an euphoric state. …show more content…
Suicide attempts also decreased in number after the antidepressants began being administered. This was true for all adults taking SSRI antidepressants and was significant for all involved except with those in the 18 to 25-year-old group (Gibbons, Brown, Hur, Marcus, Bhaumik, and Mann). This finding is consistent with studies that show that the peak of suicidal attempts is in the month preceding treatment (Simon and Savarino). This can be explained by a phenomena known as the placebo effect. The placebo effect is where a person’s performance or health can be improved by the assumption that the drug they are administered will improve that performance or health. In other words many of those given the placebo ameliorate because they believe the drug will give them the ability. To test the actual independant effectiveness of the drug, scientists have to have a control placebo group and a drug test group. This way the difference between the two groups can be measured to determine whether the drug works medically as opposed to just psychologically. However, published studies have overplayed the effectiveness of antidepressants. A meta analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 94 percent of published studies presented a positive …show more content…
The Church of Scientology firmly asserts that medicine is not the answer when trying to “cure” yourself of depression, the only way to solve the problem is by talking to a therapist (Hubbard). In addition to such groups, the general public has developed a strong opposition to the use of antidepressants after the issuing of the black box warning. Now that the harmful effects of antidepressants are coming out, the public is turning against the drugs as well as in response to how drug companies have unethically showcased their medicine, leading patients to request certain brands of antidepressants. However, measures are being taken to contain such advertisements. In Sweden, they appoint an “informational examiner” to “monitor the marketing to ensure it doesn’t violate any established ethical guidelines” (Mulinari). The way that the public views antidepressants can greatly affect the way that they are used, so it is best to appoint someone to monitor these guidelines rather than to let the drug companies mislead the public for
Antidepressants first appeared when a medication created to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia altered the activity of the brain’s neurotransmitters, resulting in the ability to send the patient into an euphoric state. …show more content…
Suicide attempts also decreased in number after the antidepressants began being administered. This was true for all adults taking SSRI antidepressants and was significant for all involved except with those in the 18 to 25-year-old group (Gibbons, Brown, Hur, Marcus, Bhaumik, and Mann). This finding is consistent with studies that show that the peak of suicidal attempts is in the month preceding treatment (Simon and Savarino). This can be explained by a phenomena known as the placebo effect. The placebo effect is where a person’s performance or health can be improved by the assumption that the drug they are administered will improve that performance or health. In other words many of those given the placebo ameliorate because they believe the drug will give them the ability. To test the actual independant effectiveness of the drug, scientists have to have a control placebo group and a drug test group. This way the difference between the two groups can be measured to determine whether the drug works medically as opposed to just psychologically. However, published studies have overplayed the effectiveness of antidepressants. A meta analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 94 percent of published studies presented a positive …show more content…
The Church of Scientology firmly asserts that medicine is not the answer when trying to “cure” yourself of depression, the only way to solve the problem is by talking to a therapist (Hubbard). In addition to such groups, the general public has developed a strong opposition to the use of antidepressants after the issuing of the black box warning. Now that the harmful effects of antidepressants are coming out, the public is turning against the drugs as well as in response to how drug companies have unethically showcased their medicine, leading patients to request certain brands of antidepressants. However, measures are being taken to contain such advertisements. In Sweden, they appoint an “informational examiner” to “monitor the marketing to ensure it doesn’t violate any established ethical guidelines” (Mulinari). The way that the public views antidepressants can greatly affect the way that they are used, so it is best to appoint someone to monitor these guidelines rather than to let the drug companies mislead the public for