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Worldwide More and more patients take antidepressants
Since the year 2000, the use of antidepressants is increasing rapidly. This is reported by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). According to the current statistics show that especially in countries such as Iceland, Australia and Portugal, especially many drugs for depression are taken. In Germany as well, nearly five million people are being treated with antidepressants. But the rising numbers do not automatically mean more cases of depression. Instead, experts see the development as positive, because increased medication can help more people.
Depression is the second most common mental illness
Mood swings, inner emptiness, fear, self-doubt - all these are signs of depression. In psychiatry, this is counted as one of the so-called "affective disorders" and, in addition to anxiety disorder, is the second most common mental illness. In addition to psychotherapy, antidepressants are used in many cases for treatment. These affect the balance of the brain messengers and can thus help relieve the symptoms and prevent relapses. Recent statistics from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the number of people affected has increased dramatically in recent years and more and more people are turning to special drugs.
More and more antidepressants are being swallowed. Image: theartofphoto - fotolia Icelanders consume the most antidepressants by far
As the organization reports, the use of antidepressants has increased rapidly since the year 2000 and on average nearly doubled in the OECD countries. The leader of the 28 documented countries in 2013 was Iceland with 118 daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants - 13 years ago, the value was still at 71. Countries such as Australia, with an increase from 45 (in 2000) to 96 (2013) or Portugal (2000: 33/2013: 88), also show that doctors in many parts of the world today are using the prescription block much more often than before , In this country, according to the OECD, the consumption of antidepressants has risen sharply. This is "with 53 daily doses for a thousand inhabitants still slightly below the average of the industrialized countries (58 daily doses). In the year 2000, however, the country only came up with 21 daily doses, "says the organization.
Number of suicides dropped significantly each year
However, the increasing number of diagnosed depression and prescribed medications does not seem to indicate that less people were previously affected by the mental disorder. Instead, today only more people would recognize this as a serious disease and accordingly faster to see a doctor, explains Ulrich Hegerl, CEO of the Foundation German Depressionshilfe, compared to the "Focus". According to the increased use of antidepressants is a "gratifying development", because at the same time the suicide rate of about 18,000 people per year has fallen to 10,000.
People are afraid of personality change and dependency
Accordingly, the high number of daily doses in Iceland is no proof that the most unhappy people live there. Similarly, the low levels in countries such as Chile (18 daily doses per 1,000 population), Korea (20) or Estonia (21) do not mean that satisfaction is highest here. Rather, the amount of intake depends, among other things, on the social acceptance of the disease and the diagnostic abilities of the doctors, the expert continues.
"There are indications that there is over-medication in several countries where consumption is high, such as Australia and the UK. At the same time, however, consumption in other countries, such as Korea and Estonia, needs to be increased to meet the unmet needs of those suffering from depression, "the OECD said. According to Hegerl, the fact that Germany is currently still below the average of the industrialized countries is due to the prevailing skepticism about psychotropic drugs. Because according to a recent study 80 percent of Germans would assume that they cause a personality change and lead to dependence. (No)