Antidepressants are the most-prescribed drug in this generation, medical research says, showing that they are more popular than antihypertensive medications. The increase of antidepressant use has caught doctors speculating whether it is due to an increased awareness or merely an easy escape. Indeed, some medical practitioners even prescribe antidepressants for premenstrual syndrome even if they won’t alleviate the physical symptoms.
In the last 10 years there is a noticeable increase of antidepressants use. This increase is seen positively by most doctors with as a sign indicating a better understanding of mental well-being. There is indeed a change in the way people see mental illness and also a growing awareness of the signs and symptoms.
The use of antidepressants among women has gone up to 10 percent compared to the numbers a decade ago, according to latest studies. This can be attributed to the fact that women are more likely to develop depression than men. While people taking antidepressants were not properly evaluated by a psychiatrist, they had asked their physician to prescribe one for them, research says. Questions are asked whether the people taking antidepressants really need them or have they just seen an ad on television about them. Most of the people taking antidepressants do not even visit a psychiatrist for evaluation after taking the drug for more than a month.
Suicide incidence is relatively high for the first few weeks of using antidepressants, research says. People can now see a black box warning in Paxil as caution for users and doctors alike. Adults are not the only ones using antidepressants but also children. The FDA has recommended that Paxil is not to be used in children aged below 18 years old due to the increased risk of suicidal behavior for younger users. The attending physician can still use it in children according to their own discretion.
Research has found out that Paxil has devastating effects on the development of the fetus when used during pregnancy. As much as the pharmaceutical companies try to say that their medications are safe to use during pregnancy, results from research says differently. Using Paxil during the first three months of pregnancy may result to Paxil birth defects. If used during the third trimester of pregnancy, there is a possibility of premature labor or the newborn may experience respiratory distress upon delivery.
URL References:
http://articles.cnn.com/2007-07-09/health/antidepressants_1_antidepressants-high-blood-pressure-drugs-psychotropic-drugs?_s=PM:HEALTH
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/healthcare/a/usmedicated.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978611/posts
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