Fears Over Soaring Use of Drugs to Fight Curse of Depression

Summary

---

DEPRESSION is threatening to become Scotland's major health burden, with prescriptions for drugs such as Prozac rocketing by 200 per cent in only 11 years.

Figures obtained by the Mail on Sunday show that an incredible 3.5 million antidepressant prescriptions were given to patients in 2005. This compares with just 1.2 million in 1992-93 According to one senior medical source, up to 60 per cent of a GP's working week is now spent diagnosing and treating depressive illness.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

Fears Over Soaring Use of Drugs to Fight Curse of Depression

Many doctors believe therapy and counselling are the best remedies for the hundreds of thousands of people treated for depression north of the Border each year.

But a shortage of specialists means many patients face long waits before they can...

See the full content of this document

---