The mainstay of the treatment of depression, which we can call the disease of our time, antidepressants his medicines; however, these drugs are often criticized for their lasting effects. Of course, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take antidepressants, as they have saved many people’s lives; however, this is often the case if the person stops taking the medication. back to old depression doesn’t change reality.

Now, a new study published in PLOS One has found that antidepressants can improve people’s long-term quality of life, compared to people with depression who don’t take such drugs. not improved suggests. According to the findings obtained in the said study, which is the latest in a series of studies advocating the need to reconsider the use of antidepressants. better therapiescan be the real solution to depression.

Millions of adults are diagnosed with depression every year.

The new research, led by pharmaco-epidemiologist Omar Almohammed of King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, appears to help people who lack hope with antidepressants. These drugs, which in some people do not make a big contribution to the treatment of depression; such as weight gain, insomnia, loss of sex drive, and even withdrawal symptoms indicative of addiction when stopping abruptly. unwanted side effects is known.

Almohammed and colleagues state in their article that it is possible to improve people’s general well-being, especially their quality of life, for years, not just a few months. “the ultimate goal of therapy” means it is. However, doubts remain whether antidepressants can help achieve this goal. Accordingly, the pharmaceutical industry uses a lot of data showing that antidepressants may be ineffective for their own benefit. hidden for years is claimed.

Although this understanding has declined recently, most antidepressants are given to depressed people. did not give what he wanted and various treatment methods in this area. need clear it is. To provide a solution to this problem, the researchers in the new study therefore collected data from a nationwide study that tracked which health care services Americans use.

Antidepressants do not improve quality of life

According to the medical records for the period 2005-2016, approximately every year to an average of 17 million adults is diagnosed with depression. If we consider that this number corresponds to the number of inhabitants of the Netherlands or Ecuador, the seriousness of the situation becomes much clearer. On the other hand, the fact that about two-thirds of the people in this 11-year-old dataset are women is a real-life situation. gender inequality, It is said to be an indicator of how it is reflected in mental health.

The analysis found that the use of antidepressants was associated with some mental improvements, but the quality of life decreased. not related to physical aspects found it. In other words, this means that people’s psychological distress and well-being improve with antidepressants, but physical health problems, physical pains and lack of vitality often persist.

Worse, the positive changes seen in some aspects of quality of life for people taking antidepressants within two years were not very different from the changes seen in those not taking the drug. Based on this data, the team notes that doctors and healthcare professionals should consider including their patients in psychotherapy or social support sessions before resorting to antidepressants, especially since these drugs have no lasting impact on the quality of life of patients. people.

Taking antidepressants with therapy may be the most effective method.

In contrast, the study does not distinguish between newly diagnosed cases of depression and people who have been living with a mood disorder for years. That is, subjects were included in the analysis if they had a diagnosis of depression and two years of follow-up data. This may mean that for some individuals these drugs have an initial effect before the observed two-year period. However, the researchers were unable to analyze the severity of depression because it was not included in the study data.

Another aspect that the study misses is the difference between the two study groups in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and poverty experience. It would also be absurd to think that the findings of a US-based study would apply to anyone, anywhere in the world; however, the research still shows that modern antidepressants from other countries are better in many ways. is insufficient It is very consistent with other studies suggesting:

Of course, as we said before “Throw out your antidepressants right away” does not mean. The study will only help experts know how best to use these drugs before resorting to direct antidepressants, and how long the effects will last. reconsider draws attention to the need In addition, according to a 2016 meta-analysis of more than 150 randomized placebo-controlled studies, antidepressants can be combined with the support of a psychotherapist. simultaneously It is argued that using the drug is more effective in improving people’s quality of life than using medication alone or talking alone.