Use of antidepressant drugs in the United States doubled between 1996 and 2005, probably because of a mix of factors, researchers reported on Monday.
About 6 percent of people were prescribed an antidepressant in 1996 – 13 million people. This rose to more than 10 percent or 27 million people by 2005, the researchers found.
[About 10% of Americans report suffering from depression, so this new finding shouldn't cause alarm. -Ed.]
Douglas Faneuil is the founder of Living Proof Productions, a not-for-profit devoted to suicide prevention based in New York City. He also designs database solutions for companies throughout the Northeast.