Antidepressants Work No Better Than a Placebo

Matthew Whalley writes "Researchers got hold of published and unpublished data from drug companies regarding the effectiveness of the most common antidepressant drugs. Previously, when meta-analyses have been conducted on only the published data, the drugs were shown to have a clinically significant effect. However, when the unpublished data is taken into account the difference between the effects of drug and placebo becomes clinically meaningless — just a 1 or 2 point difference on a 30-point depression rating scale — except for the most severely depressed patients. Doctors do not recommend that patients come off antidepressant drugs without support, but this study is likely to lead to a rethink regarding how the drugs are licensed and prescribed."

Comments

Re:Depression not natural?

[MrHanky]

This comment exemplifies how broken the Slashdot moderation system is.

They're just as harmful as placebo

[Anonymous Coward]

Anti-depressants are about the worst thing that could be given to a depressed teenager. That's the conclusion I came to after watching several of my friends go through the whole predictable process. First, they start to become depressed. Then they exaggerate their depression in the hopes of having someone help them. Anti-depressants are prescribed. The person then realizes, "I'm on anti-depressants. I have to take these pills every day, while normal people do not. I must be really messed up." This disastrous mantra plays over and over in their minds, until that's exactly how they see themselves. The drug is now essential to them, and they're in a much worse position than they were in prior to the whole experience.

I will never, ever give my children anti-depressants, and I'd stop seeing any doctor who suggests them. There are more effective ways of making someone appreciate themselves and their life.