I recently realized that some people view me as being "against meds".   It's true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder PPMD.  Finally at my wits' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out.  It may surprise you to know that I'm not anti-meds. What I am "for", however, is doctors providing patients <strong>all the alternatives.</strong>

Obviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about 1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs? There are studies showing a placebo effect may be at play for some people - this suggestion is controversial.  But here's the thing - the number of SSRI's being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren't just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?

These stats may surprise you:
<ul>
	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>
	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>
	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>
	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>
</ul>
I don't think my situation is unique -  I wasn't offered alternatives and I was offerred anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.

So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue I was never "treated" I was just "prescribed".  That's what I am against.

From a purely academic point of view, I find it fascinating to listen to people who take anti-depressants because they have to believe they are doing the right thing for them, to believe otherwise would shatter their paradigm.  I've wondered if for some people who take anti-depressants cognitive dissonance must be at play.  For someone like me who doesn't want to take meds but eventually does - the behavior (taking meds) doesn't match the belief (I don't want to take meds).  Most people want to hold onto the belief that they make good choices - they have to believe they need the medication.  Information presented to the contrary