
In the last fifteen years or so, the number of children and adults who take prescription medication for mental illnesses has increased by an astonishing twenty-two percent (Andrews). Is this large increase due to a higher prevalence of these illnesses or are doctors handing these drugs out left and right? The answer is both, but it mainly falls on the doctor. Physicians have the ability to prescribe the majority of medication to treat depression, attention deficit disorder; otherwise known as ADD, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, rather than the more specialized psychiatrists. This becomes a major problem for two reasons: the first being that children and adults begin taking medication they do not necessarily need, and secondly, the use of prescription drugs to treat mental illnesses, such as ADD/ADHD, depression, and anxiety, should not be the first course of treatment as a result of the extensive list of negative side effects. 

       The biological cause of depression is the decreased amount of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for mood, in the brain. In a more elementary way of saying it, the brain does not have the required chemicals to function properly. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting around 15 million adults each year. Due to this, discovering new and improved treatment options has become a main priority. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, continue as the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. SSRIs work by increasing the release of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that is responsible for mood, in the brain. Other types of antidepressants increase the uptake for norepinephrine and dopamine, the other neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for mood. An antidepressant is considered atypical when two of these neurotransmitters are affected by one medication. When serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine are all affected it is considered a tricyclic medication. Seeing as all these options are readily available, prescriptions become quickly obtainable. Medication may be the most convenient treatment with nearly immediate results, but that does not necessarily mean that prescribing is the most beneficial solution.

       Antidepressants prove to be extremely effective in restoring the chemical imbalance found in patients suffering from depression. Researchers believe depression stems from the destruction of nerve cells and their connections and most antidepressants succeed in rebuilding the necessary connections in order to improve mood. The effects from these drugs are required for some people to feel better; no treatment other than antidepressants will improve these people’s depression. These people are said to have major depression. This is the same case for medication to treat other mental illnesses such as ADD and ADHD (IHealthTube).

       The prescription drugs used in the treatment of ADD, the most common being Adderall, Vyvanse, and Ritalin, also provide beneficial effects for patients who use them. These drugs work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain, meaning the person becomes increasingly motivated, gains a greater attention span, and a higher level of pleasure. All the effects are very beneficial for someone struggling with ADD or ADHD. Scientific studies have also shown these medications to work. A sample of kids with ADD was tested and the group taking medication for ADD tested higher than the kids who were not using the drug (Editors).

       There is all the proof in the world that medication to treat debilitating mental illnesses works. Otherwise these drugs would not be around. This is a pretty general statement with which many people would agree. And the majority of people are aware that pretty much every drug has its own side effects. Whether you have had personal experience with a drug, or you saw a drug commercial and listened to the endless list of side effects, it is well known that drugs do not come without harmful byproducts. While this is a known fact, many people view prescription drugs as the only way to solve their issues. These people are listening to their doctors and have no doubt that they will be able to correct their problem. Their problem will be corrected, but that is only for the present and near future. If people are more aware of the science behind what is wrong, they would be more reluctant to take the easy, less-efficient medication his or her doctor would prescribe. By blindly following the doctor’s advice, suffering patients will only dig themselves into a deeper hole. Some of these people start using these drugs at a very young age, some as young as four years old (Editors). The prolonged use in children this young can prove very harmful in the next decade to come. Patients of these mental illnesses are only thinking of the short term, and these drugs can help in this aspect. But only in the short term, consequently other treatment methods should be sought after initially. There are a variety of resources available that do not involve drugs in treatment. These solutions are beneficial for the long run and do not pose any possible negative side effects for the patient.

       The Internet’s endless flow of information allows anyone to search a specific drug and learn about what it treats, how it works, and its possible side effects. The side effects that come up are all relatively minor compared to the long-term effect that are present with their use. As a result, the benefits of medication, in most cases, outweigh the negative side effects. This is one of the many reasons why most sufferers of attention deficit, depression and anxiety disorders chose to use prescription drugs. One thing the majority of users do not consider is what will happen once they cease taking the medication. Once a patient opts to take the medication route they must realize that it is likely they will stay on the medication for the rest of their lives. Although the majority of antidepressants such as SSRIs, are not technically addictive, they do have withdrawal like symptoms when the patient ceases use. In order to avoid the resulting feelings of uneasiness, nausea, dizziness and lethargy resulting from discontinued use, most people will chose to continue use instead. 

       The most notable long-term effect presented by the use of antidepressants is the possibility of a relapse after treatment has ceased. This is very startling to see for the obvious reason that a patient will have to repeat this arduous process. This defeats the whole purpose of using medication for treatment. Not only is relapsing a great concern for patients, but also they are also concerned with the drug’s effectiveness. Which leads to the fact that when patients were given a placebo antidepressant they felt the same symptom-reducing benefits. In fact, eighty percent of the effects are felt from the placebo antidepressant proving that the majority of the improvements made can be done entirely on your own (Andrews). If patients were aware of the fact that the medication truly does not provide the best results they are looking for, they would stay away from using them in treatment. There is no reason to use a drug that provides minor benefit to the user, while also allowing for the major risk of relapse. This is only the tip of the iceberg too.

       More serious long-term effects are in play with the continued use of antidepressants. Contrary to previous scientific studies that praise antidepressants for “repairing” neurons, recent studies show the polar opposite (Andrews). The studies show that the antidepressants actually destroy the structure of neurons. It does not take a scientist to realize that killing neurons, cells that are unable to repair and reproduce, is the last thing a depressed patient would want later in life. This destruction of neurons can lead to two permanent life-altering conditions. First, the destruction of these neurons leads repetitive and involuntary movements throughout the body. This can eventually evolve into symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. This disease affects the central nervous system by destroying vital nerves in the brain. The destruction of nerves caused by antidepressants is almost identical to that of Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s Disease Foundation). Secondly, the extended use of antidepressants and the deterioration of nerve cells causes a decline in cognitive functioning, making it difficult to successfully complete a variety of tasks. When someone is taking antidepressants, they will most likely be taking them throughout the day, and they will have to either drive to school, work, or run daily errands. Considering antidepressants.  The patients cannot be expected change their lives that drastically just for the mild benefits of the pills. This increases the risk of accidents on the road. On top of that, some antidepressants are also notorious for interfering with one of the largest and most necessary process in biology, reproduction.

       Antidepressants are also notorious for interfering with sexual aspects of life too. The main principles of biology are all tied to the members of a population being able to reproduce and produce offspring. For a population to evolve to adapt to its environmental changes, the members need to reproduce. This process is interfered with from the prolonged use of certain antidepressants. The sexual functioning of humans is severely affected by the antidepressants, by reducing sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm. Without these qualities missing, people taking these medications will be less inclined to reproduce, and this is against the true nature of biology. This possibility dysfunction in sexual behavior is increased by a startling six times. Not only is the emotional side to reproduction affected, but also the mechanical side can be affected in men. The male sperm loses it strength with the use of antidepressants, which makes it a great deal harder for males to healthily reproduce. And even if a couple conceives a child, when a pregnant woman is taking antidepressants there is a high risk of defects in the birth depending on the trimester the medication is taken. The risk of developing Asperger’s Syndrome is greatly increased if the child is exposed during the first trimester. If the exposure occurs in the third trimester, there is a higher risk of pulmonary hypertension, which has a ten percent mortality rate. Withdrawals are also prevalent with third trimester exposure. Depression is not the only mental illness plagued by the over prescription of medication, when there are healthier alternative options. Another mental illness that is widely treated with a prescription medication is ADD and ADHD.

Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are very commonly diagnosed and treated using medication. These mental disorders are generally diagnosed at a young and the standard fix is the prescription of Vyvanse, Ritalin, and Adderall. These prescription drugs are very useful in providing someone with the ability to have better focus on the work at hand. And when compared to someone who is not taking medication, the person taking the prescription will outperform the other (Shaw). While the doctor’s knowledge about the long-term effects is limited, they believe there is minimal evidence about positive effects in the long term. Science has even shown that later in someone’s life after they had been taking medication for these mental illnesses, they will perform more poorly than someone who never used the drugs (IHealthTube). Most notably, these people will have a greater chance to develop depression, anxiety, and an increased chance of drug abuse and alcoholism. And as stated previously, this will most likely lead to the prescription of antidepressants, which have countless side effects previously discussed. Doctor William Walsh explains that there are other ways to fix the chemical imbalance in the brain that leads to ADD and ADHD. This imbalance is observed and the patient would be given nutrients that readjust this imbalance. The results Dr. Walsh provide show that after the nutrient treatment, the patients preferred to have no does of the regularly prescribed medication. Another method to cut out medication is through interventions with specialized parent training and training that focuses cognitive aspects of the brain. Remarkably, most doctors will argue the fact that this method of treatment has a greater effect on the recovery from this disease.

       So what is a healthy and efficient form of treatment? While there is not a definite answer to this question, research has been done to find ways around the use of medication. There are a few ways doctors and specialists believe depression and anxiety can be treated without the use of medication. While these solutions are not widely used, they provide a sturdy foundation on which research can be built. On top of the fact that they are surprisingly efficient compared to medication.

       The most prominent method in non-medicinal treatment is mindfulness. This is a form of meditation that comes from the Buddhist religion. While using a religion to treat a disease may sound odd, mindfulness does not require someone to have set religious beliefs. When someone is practicing mindfulness, his or her goal is to focus on each moment rather than dwelling on thoughts or emotions from the past or in the future. This allows the meditator to better balance his or her emotions and develops a greater sense of well being. With this accomplishment, people who face depression and anxiety will remove his or her attachment to emotions and thoughts from the past, the cause of their depression. Sadly this is not always the case, there are forms of depression that are too severe or the chemical imbalance is too great for this form of treatment. It has also been proven that the cause of many common diseases, including cancer, is caused or brought upon by lifestyle factors that can be changed. If someone is able to harness mindfulness correctly, they are possibly able to make the changes in his or her lifestyle required for a healthier life. Utilizing mindfulness correctly also calls for focusing more on one’s decisions, which leads to making decisions in all aspects of your life that will better your health and prevent illness in the future.

       With mindfulness being a solution to cure depression instead of various prescription medicines, it also has the ability to lessen the negative side effects mentioned earlier. In addition, many scientists and psychologists have a theory that mindfulness also aids in altering biological pathways that are related to health and the systems in the body. Medical professionals examined this when they observed a spike in brain function in the cortex. Aside from indulging in mindfulness, people suffering from mental illnesses can also use physical exercise in exchange for medication (Yeung).

       Physical exercise is not always the easiest, but it has the potential to work miracles for those who are depressed. A lot of people find it very difficult to consistently go to the gym and stay in shape. In fact, most people are aware of the health benefits provided by exercise. Yet, only about forty percent utilize his or her leisure time for working out (Yeung). On top of that, about half of these people lose the motivation to exercise after only six month. But when these people do find the motivation to exercise, aside from pain during the activity and the soreness after, they feel very good mentally and physically. Scientists put two and two together and came to the conclusion that exercise help with mental illnesses, specifically depression and anxiety. This treatment has been proved to be difficult due to the fact that depressed people are very low energy and need a lot of help to get the motivation to exercise. The effects of proper exercise are similar to that of having mindfulness in treatment. While this form of treatment is very successful in treating these diseases, exercise will not prevent the onset of depression. Scientists even go, as far as to say that this form of treatment is just as effective as psychological treatment. 

       Prescription medication, in many cases, proves to not the most beneficial method for treatment. Doctors are overprescribing drugs that are only going to make their life more complicated later in life. While it is illegal for drugs to be produced if they are known to cause harmful effects, antidepressants and ADD medication are legal and can cause irreversible negative effects. When someone is attempting to turn his or her life around, they should be aware of what they are possibly getting themselves into. Luckily for these people, there are healthier, more natural options. These options include mindfulness, exercise, and psychological training. The one thing people need to be conscious of when dealing with mental illnesses is that drugs should not be the first solution. The use of a drug should be the last resort for someone that cannot find a solution else where, and in the case where the depression is too severe to treat with other forms of treatment. While prescriptions are very effective in treatment, natural ways of correcting this illness will always provide the person with relief without the negative side effects brought along with the use of drugs.
