According to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 25% of Americans taking antidepressants haven’t actually been diagnosed with depression or any of the conditions doctors usually treat with the medications. Dr. Mark Olfson, a psychiatrist at Columbia University, says the numbers might be even higher: “Reviews of claims records, which are diagnoses actually given by health care professionals, suggest that only about 50% of patients who are prescribed antidepressants receive a psychiatric diagnosis.” Not only that, but as the use of drugs goes up, psychotherapy seems to be going down. The overprescription of antidepressants has real risks, including potentially serious side effects. Should people who aren’t actually depressed be taking these drugs? What other conditions are antidepressants being used to treat? Have you been prescribed an antidepressant for reasons other than major depression?
Guest:
Dr. Mark Olfson, M.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center in New York