Why More and More Critics are Against Widespread Use of Antidepressants Like Paxil
Antidepressant medications like Paxil and Effexor are now so widely prescribed that many critics are beginning to question why — particularly in light of the fact that no one is completely certain if or how the drugs work.
Most antidepressants in the U.S. work by changing a patient’s neurotransmitter levels called serotonin, a chemical that is released into the brain that causes people to experience feelings of general well-being. These drugs like Paxil and Effexor are in a group of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). As to why these drugs work the way they do is a mystery, but one that implies that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. Currently there is actually little evidence supporting this belief. However, drug companies have chosen to push their prescriptions on the public under that claim.
There are actual studies that refute that claim by stating that “the levels of serotonin in depressed people’s brains are the same as they are in those of non-depressed people.” Many studies have been conducted that will satisfy the critics’ point of view. For example, a recent study claims that drugs like Paxil don’t work any better than placebos. Various other studies show that these pills can cause fatal/violent side effects. There are plenty of studies that can cause critics to try to get these medications off the shelves, but people believe that they work. In essence, it seems to be a mind over matter issue.
With the combination of harmful side effects and research proving that drugs like Paxil and Effexor are not only dangerous, but no better than sugar pills at treating depression, it is only a matter of time before people start demanding the drugs to be less widely used. The thousands of lawsuits haven’t convinced doctors to stop prescribing the pills, but perhaps more research disproving the pills’ efficacy might.
