According to a new study, about half of those who take antidepressants have tried at least two drugs without success. About a third have tried four drugs without success. The study illuminates the frustrating experience of these people, who are euphemistically labeled “treatment resistant” because multiple antidepressant drugs have failed to work for them.
“Qualitative findings revealed severe emotional distress and frustration with existing treatments, as well as organisational and illness-related barriers to effective care,” the researchers write.
The study was led by Kiranpreet Gill and Danielle Hett at the University of Birmingham, and published in The British Journal of Psychiatry.
According to the CDC, 13.8% of American adults had an antidepressant prescription in 2018 (18.6% of women; 8.7% of men; 24.3% of older women). This has likely only increased since the treatment boom during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This means that tens of millions of Americans every year are experiencing the side effects of antidepressant drugs without improvement, trying multiple drugs, and becoming labeled as “treatment resistant” when the drugs don’t work.
You've landed on a MIA journalism article that is funded by MIA supporters. To read the full article, sign up as a MIA Supporter. All active donors get full access to all MIA content, and free passes to all Mad in America events.
Current MIA supporters can log in below.(If you can't afford to support MIA in this way, email us at [email protected] and we will provide you with access to all donor-supported content.)
