title: Treating depression with antidepressants: drug-placebo efficacy debates limit broader considerations.
abstract: The core issue regarding antidepressants for many clinicians is whether they perform significantly better than placebos. However, this article suggests eight additional concerns beyond drug efficacy alone to consider regarding antidepressants including: (1) formulating only a one-dimensional, biological view of depression; (2) defining the client's role as passive in treatment; (3) economic corruption of the research and reporting; (4) false or misleading consumer advertising; (5) conflicting data that confuse practitioners and consumers alike; (6) over- and under-prescription of medications; (7) drug side-effects; and (8) harm to the environment. The enhanced effects of psychotherapy utilizing hypnosis offer a means of avoiding most, if not all, of the problems associated with the use of antidepressants as a primary form of treatment.
authors.affiliation: michael@yapko.com
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Yapko
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D004244:Dizziness / Q000139:chemically induced; D005607:Fraud; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis / Q000379:methods; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D015990:Placebo Effect; D010919:Placebos; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000209:etiology; D012106:Research / Q000191:economics; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000139:chemically induced; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D010919:Placebos