It is a rapidly growing dependency. Antidepressants have become the most widely used drugs in America today. It gives new weight to the term Prozac Nation. Pick any corner in America and you will find someone who says the antidepressants have helped. But no one knows exactly how.
All scientists can say is that they boost a chemical in the brain associated with peace of mind.
Now these drugs designed treat cases of acute depression seem to help with an ever-widening list of disorders. And lately, for party-goers. America, in short, is becoming very comfortable with seeking medication. So comfortable that our poll found almost half of Americans using antidepressants are staying on them longer than a year, which is a gamble. That's because the original clinical trials for these drugs lasted between 6 and 12 weeks.