Do the drugs work? The number of antidepressants and drugs being prescribed for mental health problems is increasing – but a growing movement is questioning the true value of the medication.
Could it be possible that Ireland is experiencing a hidden epidemic of mental illness? It sounds unlikely. There have been no screaming headlines or siren voices on TV warning about it. But judging by the numbers alone, the rise in the number of people suffering from mental ill-health is chilling.
Take illness-benefit payments for mental health problems. They have jumped by more than 80 per cent over the past decade, up from 9,884 in 2001 to 18,173 last year. And look at the use of drugs. Over the past five years, prescriptions for antidepressants, benzodiazepines and sleeping pills on the medical-card scheme increased by more than 25 per cent.
Source: Carl O'Brien, Irish Times, 14/04/2012
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