Antidepression drugs cause side effects yet do little good

A majority of people treated for depression reported troublesome medication side effects and only modest improvement in their condition, according to a survey released by the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (NDMDA).

In the online survey of 1,370 people treated for depression in the United States, fewer than one-third said they were very satisfied with the treatment of their disease.

"This survey gives a voice to many depression sufferers who cannot tolerate their antidepressant medication or aren't satisfied with the improvement in symptoms," said Lydia Lewis, NDMDA executive director.

The survey, conducted online through the NDMDA website during the summer of 1999, screened for participants who had been treated for depression. 78% of respondents were being treated for symptoms of depression at the time of the survey. Members of all adult age ranges were represented, and three out of four respondents were female.

Some 80% of those surveyed experienced side effects of current antidepressants. The most commonly reported side effect of medication was drowsiness, with 60% of medication-takers feeling tired. Other side effects included headaches, sleeplessness, agitation, nausea or other gastrointestinal problems and sexual dysfunction.

Of those surveyed, 25% said they experienced no change in their condition after they sought help. When asked about improvement in the core symptoms of depression, 40% had seen no improvement in their fatigue or loss of energy -- symptoms common to 96% of respondents.

Similarly, of individuals who reported a sad and gloomy mood during their depression, more than 28% experienced no change in this symptom, and for a third common problem -- loss of pleasure -- 35% showed no improvement with medication.

Another significant survey finding addressed the patient-doctor treatment relationship with more than two-thirds of the respondents reporting a less than satisfactory relationship. More than half reported not feeling understood.

Among the other reasons for this dissatisfaction were "not feeling he/she cared," "not feeling he/she took my depression seriously," "not feeling he/she had the latest knowledge about treatment," and "not feeling respected."

Depression affects nearly 10% of adult Americans ages 18 or older in a given year. More than 20 million people were affected in 1999, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Major depressive disorder (unipolar depression) is the leading cause of disability in the United States and ranks as one of the 10 most expensive illnesses in this country. Reported costs range from $44-465 billion, with just 27% spent for direct treatment and 17% representing lives lost to suicide. The remaining 56% is due to workplace issues of diminished productivity and absenteeism, generally due to untreated depression symptoms.