Essay --

Depression :1) a state of feeling sad : 2) a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way. Depression is a disturbance in a person’s feelings that will lead one to be unusually low, sad, or empty. Depressed mood is not classified as a psychiatric disorder although it could most certainly be a feature of clinical depression. The state of low mood a person feels can lead to suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, loss of interest in activities that were once pleasurable, and several other symptoms (3). The introduction of psychoactive drugs in the 1950’s started the era of using drugs to treat anxiety, psychosis, and the ever so popular, depression. The new answer for depression was quickly replaced from therapy, to drugs. After the creation of these drugs the world of psychiatry would forever be changed (1). The years following the surplus distribution of psychoactive drugs led to more research about these â€Å"miracle drugs.† Studies concluded that billions of neural networks in our brain are used to send and receive signals from other firing neurons (2). Several chemicals also called neurotransmitters are distributed throughout the brain. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin have been theorized to affect an individual’s mood levels. Depression patients are claimed to have less serotonin than those who are not depressed (3). The problem with this assumed theory is that instead of developing a drug to treat an irregularity, an irregularity was developed to suit a drug. An example of this used elsewhere is by perhaps appealing that all pain conditions are a problem due to lack of opiates (9). Antidepressants are used... ...r it (5). Many people do not realize that antidepressants are prescribed for other anxiety, neurological pain, fibromyalgia, and sleep problems. This should be taken in account when surveys are conducted as to how many antidepressants are prescribed (4). Antidepressants are serious drugs that should be prescribed when necessary and monitored carefully. In depression especially doctors should be sure that antidepressants will help their patients rather than harm them. Medicine should be used to help those who truly need it and not just be prescribed endlessly. Confronting psychological and sometimes physical pain from depression is necessary. Managing some of this pain through psychotherapy might help alleviate the need for so many antidepressants. Overall antidepressants will probably remain controversial and people should be educated about their pros and cons.