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Antidepressant drugs may cause worse depression: Study

Dunya News

A study disclosed that anti depressant drug may cause even worse depression.

A recent industry-funded study on antidepressant drugs has revealed that the medications can cause roughly 20 percent of patients to get worse depression symptoms than if they simply took nothing.Published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, the study, which was largely controlled by drug giant Eli Lilly, is an eye-opener for those who still put their faith in antidepressants like Cymbalta (duloxetine), which carry with them life-altering side effects.Ralitza Gueorguieva, lead author of the study from the Yale University School of Health, and her colleagues conducted trials on 2,500 people, all of whom were given either Cymbalta, various other antidepressant drugs, or a drug-free placebo for two months. At the conclusion of the study, most of those who received the placebo saw a gradual improvement in their depression symptoms, while nearly 20 percent of those taking antidepressants saw a worsening of their symptoms.Those taking antidepressants rather than a placebo were grouped into one of two groups -- responders or non-responders. Responders allegedly saw some improvement from the drugs, while non-responders saw no improvement at all. Eighty-four percent of all patients in the drug groups reportedly saw some improvement, while 16 percent saw no improvement at all -- and this 16 percent actually saw a worsening of symptoms, as well as various other harmful side effects.According to the studys three authors is an employee of Eli Lilly, the company that makes Cymbalta, while another is on the companys scientific advisory board.What this all means is that patients who choose to use antidepressants, despite the numerous studies showing that they really do not work and can cause tremendous harm (as well as their doctors, need to pay close attention to what effect the drugs are having. If no improvement is seen, it is perhaps best to stop using the drugs completely and turn to alternatives.Several recent studies have found, for instance, that S-adenosyl-L-methionine, also known as SAMe, is more effective in relieving depression than antidepressant drugs, and without all the harmful side effects. SAMe is a natural compound produced in the liver, and that is found throughout the body in areas like the brain and adrenal glands.-Online
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