Are drug makers oversimplifying depression? “Makers of antidepressants skirt, and sometimes cross, that line by telling consumers that depression is caused by a lack of serotonin and that their pills help boost levels of the brain chemical.
They offer Zoloft as one example, quoting a TV commercial that claims depression is a medical condition that may be due to a chemical imbalance, and that, ‘Zoloft works to correct this imbalance.’
The problem is that depression isn’t nearly that simple.”
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{ 5 comments }
AMEN!
Wow! You mean they can’t explain all the nuances of depression in 60 seconds. I’m sure you could.
Seriously,
The Zoloft ad,is one of the few pharm ads ,I like. I have found it very useful,in helping patent understand they have a real pathophysiologic condition,Yes,its not just a simple imbalance of chemicals,just as it isn’t only due to aggressive toilet training.
Kevin, I couldn’t agree with you more. Unfortunately, there’s a great need for physician and patient education in this area. Whenever someone tries to say that there’s a “one size fits all” solution, everyone’s ears should perk up. The research I’ve seen indicates it’s usually a combination of medication, when needed, and cognitive therapy that helps best.
You doctors are a bunch of arrogant SOBs who are so happy to blame anything that undermines their authority (here DTC advertising)–rather than criticize their own.
Isn’t the Big Baddie in this saga, Peter Kramer, M.D. and his Listening to Prozac approach to depression. Doctors LIKE to think depression is a medical treatment because it means, well, more patients for them.
But, of course, KevinMD would prefer to go after DTC or lawyers than criticize medicine’s role in our society’s bizarre treatment of depression.
Actually, what is interesting about the SSRI stuff are the studies that show that cognitive therapy (plain old talk therapy with behavior modification) or PLACEBOs can be as effective as SSRIs.
This would perhaps suggest that the important thing is to get the patient to realize he or she has depression and decide to do something about it–which is precisely what DTC ads do. Thus, we should have more ad not less.
I think the assumption is an imbalance without any real proof. It is also easier than getting into ‘issues’.
The person may have a legit reason to be depressed.
As a society we have come to believe that depression is abnormal all the time and for any reason. But Depression can be a normal reaction.
Medication has a place, but it is only the start.
A pill doesnt change the fact that someone may be living with an alcoholic or abusive person and it doesnt change memories of child abuse.
Depression can be caused by many many things…not always an imbalance. And it isnt always fixable with a pill. Placebo or otherwise.
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