Antidepressant overuse reaches stunning new levels

Antidepressant overuse reaches stunning new levels

There's a drug that's more abused than painkillers right now... but it gets no attention at all. Unlike painkillers, this class of medication isn't sending people directly to the ER -- or the morgue -- because of overdose and death. But it's wrecking people just the same. New research reveals the ugly truth about antidepressant drugs: Nearly half the people who take them SHOULDN'T be on them, even by mainstream standards! This stunning new study shows how doctors turn to antidepressants almost any time they can't figure out what to do, prescribing the drugs for everything from chronic pain to sleep disorders. These drugs are proven to do nothing for these other conditions. Heck, studies show they barely even work for depression -- yet 45 percent of all antidepressant prescriptions are written for conditions OTHER THAN depression. Sure, about 18 percent are taken for anxiety, which is an approved condition for some of the meds (even if they're not especially good at easing the condition, either). But nearly a third of the prescriptions are written for unapproved off-label uses, including conditions that cover just about everything in the book: migraines... fibromyalgia... panic disorder... insomnia... obsessive-compulsive disorder... and more. Some docs even prescribe antidepressants for sex problems. That's malpractice, if you ask me! The study was out of Canada, but if anything the numbers are even higher here in the United States, where some 1 in 10 Americans are taking the drugs right now -- and for many of the same conditions named in the new study. As bad as this is, it's only the tip of the iceberg. A study last year found that more than two-thirds of patients who take antidepressants don't actually meet the criteria for a depression diagnosis. Some might be a little down... but they're not depressed enough to be on meds, even by mainstream standards. Taken together, what these studies REALLY show is that most docs are absolutely clueless when it comes to treating some of today's most common conditions -- whether it's depression, insomnia, fibromyalgia, or migraines. They've tried a few basics, but when those fail, they don't know what else to do. So they prescribe an antidepressant -- and that means millions of patients are facing big risks by taking drugs they never even needed in the first place. And the biggest risk of all isn't a side effect (although there sure are plenty). It's that this approach never cures the depression, insomnia, fibromyalgia, or migraines that led to the prescription in the first place. You don't get better... and you might even get worse! Fortunately, there's a better way. All of these conditions have a real cause, and that means they have a real cure -- but you'll only find it if your doc knows where to look. A holistic medical doctor can run some tests that can help you find and treat the real cause naturally -- and if you're in Southern California, I can run those tests here at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. Not in the area? I can also offer advice by phone. Call 855-DOC-MARK to schedule a consultation. God bless, Dr. Mark Stengler