FDA warning on antidepressants have depressed depression diagnoses

FDA warning on antidepressants have depressed depression diagnoses

latimesblogs.latime s.com

After five years of steady growth, diagnoses of depression in patients of all ages dropped like a rock in 2004, the year after the Food and Drug Administration warned that the current generation of antidepressant medications increased the risk of suicide and suicidal thinking in children.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This goes to show many problems with what we believe are facts in today's world which are actually nothing more than the results of other things.


For example, here we have a case which shows that the rates of people being diagnosed with a particular affliction is directly proportional to the medicines made available for said affliction.

Remove the ability or the inclination to prescribe those medications, and Voila, the so called "rates of depression diagnoses" drops like a rock.

This is not the only case. In some situations illegal drugs are attempted to be kept illegal because of the supposed rates of "rehab" being higher for them than anything else, when in fact it's because state laws in some places allow offenders the ability to dodge jail by going to rehab.


I would wager that most all of the stats we hear touted by one special interest group or another is directly related to this type of (what I call) "Mis-information" It's not really disinfo until someone uses it as such, but in it's own virgin form is simply misinformation.

In this case, the the misinformation is that you can somehow look at the rates of diagnoses of a particular affliction and draw some sort of link between that and the actual number of people who have a particular affliction.

So here is some advice... NEVER TRUST ANY STATISTICS. They are just too easy to abuse and miss the real underlying factors of what is going on, and may be completely contradictory to anyone attempting to leverage statistics as a tool of persuasion.

latimesblogs.latime s.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I am particularly tickled by the spin in the following quote from the article which surreptitiously says that while the warnings have resulted in furthering underdiagnosis, that this trend has to be reversed, naturally leading to more prescriptions being written.

The study is the latest to suggest that the FDA's warning -- and the media coverage surrounding the issue of SSRIs and suicide -- have set back progress in treating depression, a condition that the mental health profession believes is seriously underdiagnosed.

By extension there is the suggestion that any treatment of a condition without big phama's products is not a proper course of treatment.

[edit on 6/1/2009 by EnlightenUp]

reply to post by EnlightenUp


Yep... that's exactly what is going on there.

reply to post by EnlightenUp


Seriously UNDERDIAGONSED? That's rich. Sounds like the pharmaceutical companies are feeling the money crunch too right now and need to get back to drug pushing.

I myself have been taking anti-depressants for years now, but I was properly diagnosed with chronic depression. Tests were done to rule out other medical problems, family history taken, meetings with doctors and psychiatrists, ect, before they made the diagnosis. And being on SSRIs (prozac, to be specific) has never given me ill effects.

However, I was shocked how many people would go to their GP's office (women especially) complaining of fatigue or headaches, and the same day coming home with prescriptions for Prozac, Xanax, ect. Even people feeling slightly blue because of life circumstances get drugs pushed on them. That is why there are so many horror stories for anti depressants, because probably the majority of prescriptions aren't needed, and the drugs end up screwing with a perfectly healthy brain and psyche. Even worse, there could often be some sort of medical condition that will get ignored and remain untreated, further aggravating any side effects of unneeded medication.

It's state sanctioned drug pushing, and sadly, alot of doctors seem to behave more like street pushers than physicians.

That's funny. "Depression being under-diagnosed." Depression, as they call it, can be overcome without the use of these drugs. Trust me, I know what being "down at the bottom" is like. I could have driven my car over a cliff kind of urges have come up. I know what this stuff is like. But it's nothing that you "have to live with it," as these drug pushers in doctor's costumes like to tell you. I have to a large part overcome feelings of suicide, and "down in the dumpness" without ever touching a psychiatric pill. You can tear out "depressions" ugly heart, and go on with life. The reason you "have to live with it" is because they want you diagnosed with an incurable disease, so you can be a life long customer, and slave to their drugs.

I've seen, first hand, how these drugs, and the fake doctors who push them, tear down the lives of people I know. If these drugs don't show immediate problems, I would be willing to bet they are slowly tearing down your system. It's a crime, but you hardly ever see it reported as so on CNN or Fox. Why is that? Why doesn't our government crack down on these crimes? Why?

Money. Money. Money. Control. Control. Control. At whatever cost to society. My two cents.

Troy

For one, alternative remedies like St. John's Wort for depression can be just as dangerous (or not) as the pills.

I'm glad I stopped mine. Just because they don't last forever (your body gets used to them) and you need to switch. And then you find out that atypical ADs work the best for you and that the only one that makes you happy gives you hives and causes seizures in 1/200 people.

Right. Yeah. I was done with side effects and all that goodness.

But honestly, other pills (like BCPs) cause crazy mood changes and side effects, too.

I haven't taken much in the way of St Johns Wart. But, I have my doubts about it being dangerous. As with any plant or herb, I suppose there is a chance of it being a problem with some people, just like peanut allergies and the like. And there is a chance of someone mis-using or over-using an herbal supplement, and getting a bad result, sure.

But, honestly, I don't think antidepressants can be compared to herbal type remedies in terms of side effects. It's like comparing crack with coffee.

I really have no horrible side effects to personally report in regards to herbs and supplements. Maybe some jittery nervousness with caffein type energy supplements, but we knew that. Mostly what I do now is mega-dose my vitamins. I'm not really taking much in the way of herbs. Large doses of Vitamin D seemed to give me a feeling of well being.

Really what changed things for me a lot was I started creating my life, creating how I feel about life, etc. More or less, I'm not letting the stuff of life create me. It's been said, "your environment creates who you are." Well, that's BS. You have allways owned the controls to your own life.

But, sliding back on topic, some of Big Pharma's drugs are a serious problem. I think when we figure in the NWO type scenarios, and mind control scenarios, I think we are overlooking the antidepressant/psychiatric type drugs as being control mechanisms. You want a conspiracy? You want to know about mind control. Well, there it is. The plan is being executed right in front of your face. And it's being labeled as "help."

Troy

[edit on 2-6-2009 by cybertroy]

To be honest... the best prescription for depression is changing your world view.

Break out of the limitations you feel are placed on what is reality and you'd be amazed at what happens....

reply to post by cybertroy


True clinical depression is not a case of "being down". It is a problem with the brain chemistry. Clinical depression is more like a case of permanent, entropic apathy that interferes with a person's ability and desire to engage in even the most basic needs in life.

Herbal remedies, by the way, can be very dangerous. Nature produces some of the most toxic poisons known to man (Ricin, Botulism, Cyanide, Mushroom poisons, ect). St. John's Wort, like Prozac, should not be used by people who spend alot of time in the sun, as it increases skin senstivity to UV radiation and can contribute to severe sunburn. This effect was noticed in cattle who eat the herb.

Anyway, clinical depression is over diagnosed, and over prescriobed. people become temporarily depressed over life situations all the time, but they recover, and they don't need drugs to do it, just support and help from friends and family.

reply to post by cybertroy


St. John's Wort causes hormonal imbalance and cataracts.
Plus it has all the same side effects of any substance, including the possibility of reaction, upset stomach, headache, insomnia, drowsiness, etc.

Definitely, nature can produce some toxins. No doubt. I cann't argue with that.

I have limited dealings with herbs, though. Some herbs can be wonderful when used correctly.

Man, do I have some nasty stories involving psychiatric drugs. Deadly stuff.

Troy

reply to post by cybertroy


I know someone who was taking the same thing as me at one point and had a grand mal seizure.

So.... right. Yeah.