November 27, 2007

Surviving America's Depression Epidemic

Bruce Levine, whose work I've linked to before, has an excerpt of his book Surviving America's Depression Epidemic online. The central thesis is that America's worship of consumerism and technology is making us depressed. Ironic of course that this bit of news appears on the Internet.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at November 27, 2007 12:01 AM
StumbleUpon Toolbar del.icio.us Digg it reddit
Comments

From the article: "The HRSD is heavily loaded with items that are most affected by psychotropic drugs, and thus it is not surprising that pharmaceutical-company-sponsored researchers use the HRSD in their antidepressant studies. And it is therefore especially damning for antidepressants that even with such measurement dice loading, these drugs routinely fail to outperform placebos."

AND

"Why did this unhappiness taboo take hold so strongly in the United States? One possibility is a societal distortion of the right to "the pursuit of happiness," which has come to mean the expectation of being in a good mood all the time. The irony here is that the signers of the Declaration of Independence signed their death warrant had the American Revolution failed, and it is difficult to imagine Thomas Jefferson telling them, "Don't worry, be happy." It was once accepted that experiencing uncomfortable feelings was often necessary to achieve an ideal."

AND

"In a culture of consumerism, people are forever trying to buy happiness, and sellers are expected to appear happy so as to inspire confidence in what they are offering."


SO the pharmaceutical industry appears to get this about Americans wanting short cuts to happiness, I'm not trying to generalize major depression---but medicating life situational unhappiness is also the industry goal, and that's the problem.

But in fact it is the consumer who has a choice in that. This is why re packaging antipsychotics for depression as antidepressants is gonna get really wild. People will think Abilify is the newest antidepressant [for example] and not have a clue they are being medicated with a med designed for schizophrenia. But then again, consumers are the ones who want quick fixes in life, so live and learn.

Posted by: Stephany at November 27, 2007 06:50 AM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?






pic1.jpg

Patient Blogs. Sites.
Doctor Blogs. Sites.
Activists. News.
Social Networking. Forums.
Science. Big Pharma. Ethics.
Current Affairs
Seattle Stuff
Smoking. Stuff.

Info
About Furious Seasons
Email
Other Articles
ZYPREXA Documents
Alt ZYPREXA Documents Source
Blakemore-Brown Transcript

 Subscribe in a reader

Recent Entries
Jim Carrey Criticizes Extended Anti-Depressant Use
FDA Orders Suicide Warning For Bipolar, Epilepsy Drugs
Another Seroquel Related Arrest
Minnesota Forced ECT Case Hits NPR Airwaves
Fundraiser Over
Boston Globe Reports Sexual Problems With SSRIs As High As 50 Percent
Winter Fundraiser, So Close It's Not Even Funny
Two Child Physicians Criticize ADHD Meds, The Bipolar Child, Pharma Influence
Michael Phelps: "I Didn't Want To Take Ritalin Anymore"
Winter Fundraiser, Oh So Close
Winter Fundraiser, Inching Closer
10-Year-Old Who Killed Father After Beginning Prozac Gets New Trial
Scientific American Interview: Is Depression Overdiagnosed?
Winter Fundraiser, Day 11
Paxil Documents Online
Recent Comments

Stephany on Surviving America's Depression Epidemic

Archives
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
Resources
Mental Health America
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
National Institute of Mental Health
McMan Web
Search


Powered by
Movable Type 3.2