Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), central components of antidepressants, are used to treat depression. According to medical surveys, they are one of the most prescribed medications over the last decade. A survey by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found out that they are the third most frequently prescribed medicines during patient visits. Around 2.4 billion medicines were prescribed in 2005 alone and 118 million of them were antidepressants. Issues about the use of antidepressants have emerged. According to medical studies, breast cancer survivors who are suffering from depression have new treatment approaches that are made available to them.
About half of breast cancer survivors have the tendency to fall into depression, according to CDC statistics. To help them manage their depression, a lot of new treatments are being tried by their therapists. Then the question of whether therapy or medication is better, is still being debated. Other people have opted not to depend too much on antidepressants. With the advent of new technologies, new ways in managing depression have surfaced. Psychiatrists believe that depression is caused by several factors. Factors such as psychological, social and biological may be the kick-off point of depression.
Most psychiatrists are promoting a combination of treatment due to the fact that a combination of causes are possible. Antidepressants such as SSRIs are able to deal only with the biological factors. Low levels of serotonin are associated with certain mood disorders such as depression. However, social and psychological factors are addressed through psychotherapy. The most beneficial approach, as what most psychiatrists believe, is the combination of medication and therapy.
The treatment given to a person with depression may elicit different results. A variety of psychotherapy is now available. Among the therapies that are available, the cognitive behavioral therapy is the most commonly used. This method helps in identifying ways in resolving issues than just settling on the cause of it. But for most people, therapy is a waste of time.
Taking medications are more convenient than going to scheduled therapy. This is also one of the reasons why there has been an increase in medication use over the last decade. SSRIs have indeed changed the way in dealing with depression. Still it has some downside like any other drugs that are available. It is even linked with the occurrence of suicide in most depressed teens. There are warning with the use of antidepressants in teenagers that were made by the Food and Drug Administration. There are people who have filed a Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer due to their losing a loved one through suicide.
URL References:
http://www.americas-watchdog.com/zoloft-caused-fatal-birth-defect-lawsuit-claims/
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/drugs.htm
http://articles.cnn.com/2007-07-09/health/antidepressants_1_antidepressants-high-blood-pressure-drugs-psychotropic-drugs?_s=PM:HEALTH
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/depression-treatment/all/1/
