Health, Depression | 08/31/2009 9:00 am

Business Is Booming for Antidepressants – Economy to Blame?

Four million more prescriptions for antidepressants were written for Americans in 2008 than in 2007.

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

The economy has been a bit depressed lately, and apparently more people are feeling down, as well.

The Washington Post reports that about 164 million antidepressant prescriptions were written in 2008 — four million more than in 2007, according to health-care information and consulting company IMS Health. In fact, antidepressants, which include Cymbalta, Effexor and others, were the third most prescribed type of drug that year, earning manufacturers $9.6 billion in sales. Whether the bad economy is to blame for increased feelings of sadness and helplessness, we don’t know — but certainly more people were looking for drugs to combat those feelings. Another figure that may further depress the general population is that, from 1996 to 2005, use of these types of drugs has doubled in the United States. This doesn’t bode well for the individual or business: People who are depressed tend to take more days off and might find it hard to get their work done, costing the economy money.

To our wOw readers: Why do you think more people are being prescribed antidepressants? Is it just a factor of the pharmaceutical industry pushing their wares on people, or do you think people really are more depressed now than usual?

19 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

1t 1s a proven fact that a h1gh percentage of those on Welfare suffer from depress1on. What they do not say 1s that the major1ty of those people are not poor because of depress1on, rather, they suffer from depress1on because of the1r poverty. 1 once had a psych1atr1st tell me that all 1 needed to end my depress1on was a good ‘sugar daddy’. 1 do not do sugar dadd1es; but, he had a very val1d po1nt, one that others 1n h1s profess1on would not adm1t to. And because 1 would not put my 1ntegr1ty as1de to accept a ‘sugar daddy’ 1nto my l1fe 1 have had twenty very excruc1at1ngly d1ff1cult years. Large scale personal help 1s rarely done from the goodness of people’s hearts. Another fact that’s cons1stently om1tted.

1t 1s heart break1ng to th1nk that 1f the same amount of money had ever been spent 1n help1ng me get my art and photography, and poetry out on the market as has been expended on pump1ng me full of ant1depressants 1 would probably be a thr1v1ng, successful, healthy, contented, tax pay1ng, woman r1ght now. As for the ant1depressants? They have done noth1ng to conv1nce me that l1fe 1s worth the cont1nuat1on. Ant1deprssants do not allev1ate hunger, phys1cal pa1n or cold from 1nadequate cloth1ng or shoes. Nor do they allev1ate the t1ght ball of 1nsan1ty 1n one’s heart’s gut that can only be ell1m1nated by a very, very long over due change of pace, a vacat1on.

Ant1depressants do not help depress1on caused by poverty (or any k1nd of f1nanc1al stra1n). They only waste one’s t1me and money, mak1ng the s1tuat1on even worse. What does work 1s people w1th the resources to help do1ng just that. Help1ng.

By Christine Cline on 08/31/2009 9:51 am

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In my opinion the mass advertising of all the drugs in the media, is responsible for much of the sales. I used to think I needed anti-depressants but I cured myself just by quitting reading the "economy according to Liz Peek" column.

By Mel Berg on 08/31/2009 9:53 am

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ROFLMAO

By F P on 08/31/2009 10:02 am

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Thank you, Mel, for my first laugh of the day!

I also think mass advertising by big pharm shoulders much responsibility. Pick up a magazine and you will see a two or three page, high gloss ad for some drug. And it is usually in the prime advertsing space, either the beginning or the middle. In my last TIME, Merck has a nice two pager for Zetia on page 9. National Geo. has a 4 page ad for Ambien along with a free 7-night trial offer.

If big pharm poured as much money into research as it does highly expensive advertsing, maybe we would have a cure for some cancers.

By Maggie W on 08/31/2009 10:10 am

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You are such a stitch Mel! :-)

By Belinda Joy on 08/31/2009 3:30 pm

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Mel, the truth can be depressing! I agree with you there!

By deber B on 09/01/2009 10:03 am

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If it was the truth!

By Mel Berg on 09/01/2009 12:39 pm

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Mel you are golden! Thanks for taking the words right out of mr mouth!

By Tee Zee on 09/01/2009 10:06 pm

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I know I’ve been overdosed on drug ads.

I found that your cure also works for high blood pressure. LOL!

By Zera Lee on 09/02/2009 4:34 pm

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By Mel Berg on 09/02/2009 5:45 pm

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Does anyone (beside me) think there’s a connection between these psychoactive drugs & the obesity epidemic?

So many friends complain about gaining weight while taking them…

By R H on 08/31/2009 10:09 am

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Many ant1depressants have the s1de effect of 1ncreased app1t1te. Some of them w1ll make you down r1ght s1ck 1f you do not take them w1th food. And so w1ll not work at all unless taken w1th a large meal. And 1 do mean large. You can not get away wth eat1ng an apple or a sl1ce of toast. Many med1c1nes are that way. My pa1n meds are useless 1f not taken w1th a large meal.

By Christine Cline on 08/31/2009 10:22 am

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I know that when I don’t have enough money to pay my bills, I get depressed. When my bills are paid, I’m fine. I know anti-depressants would not help my depression if my bills are still not paid.

By Laura Ward on 08/31/2009 1:13 pm

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We are such a high stressed society, with little patience, faith, and responsiblity to resolve life’s challenges. Everyone gets depressed at some point in life..s—- happens. It’s easier to pop a pill and numb the blow so to speak than to deal with the REAL issues. Doctors are willing to jump on anyone’s "need" to medicate. Some people it’s a very legit need, but most turn to meds as a crutch. The problem will still be there whether it’s financial, marital, etc. that eventually has to be dealt with.

By Dee T on 08/31/2009 4:30 pm

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It’s a huge cash cow for the drug companies. Convince people that they need a pill for about everything, advertise on TV, and make MORE money with the "ask your doctor" message. It is normal to be depressed at times..we all are, but to convince people this is not a desired condition is folly. I will admit once I took an antidepressant which I call "the pill from hell" from the side effects. I was depressed for days afterwards that I took it….never again!

By Lizzie R. on 08/31/2009 6:51 pm