CDC: Antidepressant use skyrocketed in past 20 years

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Now the most commonly taken prescription drug in adults under 45, researchers find.

U.S. soldiers dangerously over-medicated with antipsychotic drugs

(NaturalNews) As if American soldiers sent to fight America's undeclared wars in Iraq and Afghanistan haven't suffered enough, now it turns out many are being prescribed powerful, side-effect laden drugs to treat their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These Big Pharma mind altering concoctions are ineffective and can be downright dangerous.

Multiple studies show around 30 percent of Americans soldiers who have served in combat now suffer from PTSD. It's not surprising when you consider these facts. Imagine being so young you might still be called a "kid" by some. Only you are a soldier and instead of going to college classes and rock concerts you are watching friends your age die (about 20 percent of those killed in the U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are between 18 and 21).

You may also be killing people yourself out of self-defense, and sometimes by mistake. Even more traumatizing, you may have witnessed your fellow soldiers torture and kill civilians. Although it is often considered "unpatriotic" to even suggest such possibilities, even the U.S. Pentagon has officially apologized about American soldiers forming a so-called "death squad" to randomly murder Afghan civilians, mutilate their corpses, and keep their body parts as trophies.

PTSD typically occurs after someone has experienced a situation like the ones described above -- it results when a person has the severe shock of feeling their life was in danger or there was a sense of extreme hopelessness or helplessness...[Full Article]

Lives destroyed by happy pills: As our use of antidepressants DOUBLES in a decade, experts say thousands are being given dangerous drugs they don't need

Clare Morgan was going through a rocky patch: her long-standing relationship had hit difficulties and she was struggling financially. But the self-described 'optimist' felt she was managing to cope.

Then the 35-year-old biologist started experiencing unusual symptoms. 'Out of the blue, I felt really agitated - I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't sleep, and I felt very shaky,' she recalls. 'I'd been under some stress. But my symptoms seemed too odd for that to be the whole explanation.'

After about six weeks she went to see her doctor, who diagnosed depression and anxiety. 'I asked him if he was sure, because there were other symptoms such as diarrhoea, weight-loss and vomiting. But he confirmed his diagnosis and prescribed an antidepressant.'

Increasing numbers of Britons are taking antidepressant drugs, with prescriptions doubling over the past ten years, according to a report this month

Unfortunately this only made her feel worse; she developed the shakes as well as suicidal thoughts. In an attempt to remedy this, her GP changed the medication three weeks later. But nothing changed.

And after mentioning her suicidal thoughts to her doctor, she was put under the supervision of a mental health team.

Six weeks later, Clare was put on yet another antidepressant, along with a tranquilliser and an anti-psychotic drug. She was now sleeping 14 hours a day; unable to work, she had to rely on her boyfriend for support...

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