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Tablets for depression – Do antidepressants help? | DW Documentary



Tablets for depression – Do antidepressants help? | DW Documentary

Although antidepressants are prescribed with increasing frequency, their efficacy is the subject of debate. It’s known that placebos can be just as effective in cases of mild-to-moderate depression. Nevertheless, in Germany you’re now eight times more likely to be prescribed the medication than in the 1990s.

A large-scale study from 2008 shows that in cases of mild and moderate depression, a placebo was just as effective as the real thing. But still, every year doctors prescribe enough antidepressants to supply 80 million people in Germany for more than two weeks.

So, what’s the impact on patients? How can such controversial medication be so successful?

“For many years, the tablets have been my loyal companions in the process of coping with my depression.” Christine (52) lost her job because of her depression, attended psychiatric clinics seven times and says today: “I don’t care what the studies say, I sense that my medication is working.”

Most antidepressants alter the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, in particular serotonin. Although for a long time it was thought depression was triggered by lowered serotonin concentration, this theory has now been disproved. Doctors and scientists still don’t really understand what happens in the brain during depression – but this has done nothing to dent the successful sales march of antidepressant medication.

Mary (42) curses the day she began taking antidepressants: “They haven’t improved my life, they’ve actually made it much worse,” she says. Mary’s been gradually reducing her dose for four years, but her body is rebelling. “Up to now, these weaning problems have been totally under-estimated,” says Professor Tom Bschor, one of the leading experts on antidepressants in Germany.

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View 28 Comments

28 Comments

  1. @SWExplore on

    I took an SSRI (Prozac) for a few years and I regret ever taking them. The side effects of taking anti-depressants are many with sexual dysfunction for men. I don't think they really did much to help me and I am glad that I have not used any anti-depressants for two years. Just like the opioid crisis that started with doctors prescribing opiates like candies which caused immeasurable damage. Anti-depressants are nothing more than a clever ploy by the pharmaceutical companies to make a profit by making you believe that you need to take them. There are some extreme cases where these drugs can be beneficial.

  3. @dezgarci10 on

    I have been on SSRIs since I was 13, going on 23 years. I just tapered down to zero mg a week ago, and wow the irritability, dizziness, nausea, brain zaps, anxiety and flu like symptoms have been almost unbearable at times. But I’m not going back to taking those pills.

  6. @kiran7765 on

    depression:

    Many people gets confused about depression and sadness.

    sadness means present suferring for one day, 2 day or a week.

    If u prolong that sadness for a month, year then u will be in the state of depression.

    Depression leads to

    Mental suffering that indireclty affects physical well being

    1. Mental suffering includes

    1. Bursting out

    2. Crying out

    3. No Hunger or overeating

    4. No Sleep or oversleep

    5. Being idle

    6. In that zone of thinking continuosly about depression

    2. Depression also affects physical well being

    1. Overeating or less eating causes gastric related issues

    2. Long term depression may cause

    diabetes type 2 because of being idle (i.e not doing any physical activity)

    3. Continous thinking and reminding the situation that caused depression

    definitely affects your blood pressure levels

    4. Change in thyroid hormone levels

    other issues to

    Remedy to come out from depression:

    1. Strongly engaging in physical activity like

    1. Playing your loved sports,

    2. Working in your loved profession

    3. Praying your loved gods

    4. Engaging in spiritual activites like

    1. yoga, meditation, sevas

    5. Having good sleep

    Following above 5 important steps definitely helps to overcome depression.

    If not consult -> counsellers -> i.e your parents, friends -or -> professionals

    If counselling is not working -> go for -> psychiatrists or psychologists.

    Note: everything is temporaray just overcome the phase with only one patience.

    Your problem is nothing if u start hearing about the other human problems

  8. @troycalvin2602 on

    I've been on antidepressants and wish I never started. They are designed to make it impossible to stop taking. I tried and my depression and anxiety went nuclear. So I'm stuck on them and I still am miserable l, it's just tolerable. I hate pills and hate doctors. All they do is push pills.

  14. @bobjones3573 on

    Why is it the yanks are the only populous that acknowledge the side effects of anti depressants. Clinical paranoia. If you're stopped by the police in the states, you'll notice the questions are psychological, the first question will be, do you know why I've stopped you?, well dahoi, no of course I don't, I cant possibly know what's going on in your head. The very next question will likely be about anti depressants, have you ever been prescribed a course and for how long. These medications are very dangerous and have severe side effects, clinical paranoia is the primary effect. depression is more of a state of mind than a clinical state. If you weren't screwed up before a doctor prescribed this medication, you will be soon after.

  17. @HaadBajwa-g3e on

    They do prevent suicide. They can't get rid of depression. To get rid of depression one must correct the errata that causes depression. Impossible 🙅 in most cases. Most = 51% or more.

  18. @davecstack on

    Thank you for this video everyone should read American book change your mind change your diet I felt the best I ever from this book god bless everyone

  19. @Cookieloafres on

    I used to take anti depressants, and I also felt better, with it. I got worse cause I had heart disease. When I got to sick to the point I couldn’t take care of myself. It ruined my mental health. I had a smell on my armpits that lasted for a year from heart disease. I didn’t get help at first because my strict parents sent me to school with a full blown onion smell and I got bullied. They think education matters more than health.

  21. @Bolletjehopla47 on

    Psychological mechanism: if we get a present (500 euros for a speech), we are more willing toward the giver. So we are more likely to prescribe their drugs. Researchers who think they are not influenced by Big Pharma are fooling themselves.

  22. @threewishes777 on

    8 year therapy and i cannot get better. I have refuse medication hoping i could do it by myself i did for short terms but i always go back. So i decided to finally give it chance. I hope it helps me

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