Over the years, more general practitioners seem to be prescribing more antidepressants.
University of Texas Medical Branch Behavioral Health and Research director, professor and psychologist Dr.Jeff R. Temple said medication needs to be paired with some kind of therapy.
"I think when we just prescribe medication, we're doing a disservice to the patient because we're not giving them the tools, not showing them how to respond to stressors in the real world," said Temple. "When it's prescribed, whether it's by a psychiatrist or a general practitioner, is that it's paired with therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, for instance, or even behavioral activation, where we're getting people out there, and giving them the tools to overcome depression without medication ," said Temple.
He said the medication did help reduce anxiety at six weeks and 12 weeks.
"Folks, the 'walking wounded', as we call them, that have mild symptoms of depression and those with major symptoms, we did see improvements with reductions in anxiety and quality of life," said Temple.
Doctors in the study suggested that new, more effective classes of antidepressants need to be created...perhaps using the psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms.