Why is U.S. Antidepressant Drug Use on the Rise?

There are many more people in the United States taking antidepressants. The good news is that it's not necessarily because they are more depressed. Recent studies show that the use of antidepressant drugs is definitely on the rise in the United States.  The usage rate has been steadily climbing over the past ten years. A study which was published in August, within the Archives of General Psychiatry, analyzed the frequency of antidepressant drugs and antipsychotic medicines prescribed specifically during the years 1996 – 2005.  The results showed that use of various types of such drugs  increased substantially – up almost seventy-five percent, by both males and females of all ages and races (with the exception being African Americans). Use of  antidepressants continued to build in the years following the study.  In 2008, over 164 million prescriptions were given to patients for antidepressant drugs, which IMS Health adds up to $9.6 billion in United States pharmaceutical sales.

While the facts speak for themselves, they lead to the question, "Why are Americans taking more medication to treat depression?"  While on the surface it seems as if more people in the U.S. are just growing more and more depressed, when taking a closer look that's not necessarily true. Currently in America, there are reasons people are feeling anxious and unhappy.  People in the United States are dealing with an ongoing economic recession and a national increase in unemployment. There is also generalized social anxiety related to domestic terrorism and a year of political change. However, social and economic conditions were always variable and fluctuations are not new to people.  While these things may cause some to worry or feel disheartened, that is not the same as clinical depression. It could be that there's an increase in antidepressant drug use because more patients are seeking medical care for their condition. In the past, there was something of a social stigma for those suffering from depression and people were ashamed to admit they suffered from the disease. It wasn't publically perceived as a medical condition and people felt those with ongoing depression should just be able to "snap out of it" themselves.  This made many of those afflicted feel ashamed and they tried to hide their mental and emotional struggles.  Sadly, patients who failed to seek help, either through talking or drug therapy, often saw their psychological state deteriorate. However, now that there is more main-stream awareness of depression, people are less reticent to reach out for treatment. Among their treatment options, pharmaceutical therapy has proved to be one of the most effective methods of controlling this disease and their use is now widespread among people with depression and other mental health conditions.

Other contributing factors to the increase in such drug use are the amount of antidepressant medicines which are now available, the improvements in such medication, and the more frequent drug advertising which is direct-to-consumer.  People are learning from television and print ads that depression is frequently diagnosed and told that they have pharmaceutical options which can help.  The medical community has also approved the use of antidepressant drugs to treat an expanded range of mental health afflictions so such medicine is more widely used in general. Among the most commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs are those which affect the neurotransmitter serotonion, such as Paroxetine (Paxil®, Aropax®), Fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac®), Escitalopram oxalate (Lexapro®), Citalophram (Celexa®), or Sertraline (Zoloft®, Lustral®). However, use of almost all antidepressant medication has been documented to be on the increase. Tricyclic antidepressants such as Doxepin (Sinequan®), Dothiepin (Prothiaden®) and  Imipramine (Tofranil®) are prescribed to help stabilize certain brain chemicals and improve the mood of affected patients, as are norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor drugs such as Reboxetine (Edronax®).  Reboxetine (Edronax®) can be given to people suffering from clinical depression, generalized panic disorder, or conditions such as ADD/ADHD.   Some mental disorders are treated with more than just one drug, so patients can be seen taking antidepressant or other medications in conjunction with each other.

Antidepressant medication is being taken more by people who have another disease, apart from their depression, as adjunctive drug therapy. This can happen when a patient's diagnosis, symptoms, or treatment is contributing to a generally depressed state of mind. Patients being diagnosed with progressive, incurable conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Cancer, or Parkinson's disease may also be given antidepressant medicine to help them cope.  Under these circumstances, such patients may only use the medicine short-term, while they come to terms with their prognosis, or long-term to ensure a more consistent and positive state of mental wellbeing.

Antidepressant medication is also more affordable now, through alternative means online.  Instead of having to visit a traditional drugstore, people can purchase medication through an online pharmacy.  Such pharmacies carry an extensive supply of these medicines and offer them at a substantial price discount.  Since patients can more easily afford their antidepressant medicine, they are more willing to use it. Online pharmacies ship mental health medication to people directly and discreetly to their homes.  This more private alternative helps those people who may still be embarrassed about their condition to obtain their medication without the worry about being observed. After looking at the rise in the use of antidepressant drugs by Americans, when considering all the contributing reasons, it's good to realize it's not just because of their state of mind.