Sometime last week a study was published regarding the effectiveness of anti-depressant medications, in which it stated that meds such as Prozac and Seroxat were no better than placebos. Not comforting to the great number of patients on these drugs see as they are accompanied by a wide variety of side effects. Seeing how GP’s are quicker dish out meds than any other sort of treatment the question must be asked if whether meds are being used as an effective treatment or as a method of sweeping a problem under the carpet.
Depression is the leading cause of disability in North America today and the World Health Organisation expects it to become the second leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020 after heart disease. That is a lot of people who are depressed, and why shouldn’t they be? Turn on the news and you’re usually presented with a great number of stories of death, destruction of war, fear of a terrorist attacks or the hatred shown by the latest media popular killer. It makes for very bleak viewing and makes our social world look as it is ill. No wonder people are depressed, the question is if none of the above didn’t disturb you then why?
When a population is unsatisfied with the status quo it can do one of two things, either believe that it can’t be changed and accept things as they are and remain unhappy (this is the option many who are depressed take) or to believe that they can change the way things are run, leading to a social revolution. With depression being the leading cause of disability in North America and the high prevalence in the rest of the Western world it is very possible for everyone who is depressed at the outlook of our world currently to rise up and change things for the better. All is needed is a leader of the movement and for the reduced use of medications suppressing people’s dissatisfaction with the status quo. I predict a revolution for the better, out of the darkness let there be light.
