Are anti-depressants the answer?

The Health and Social Care Information Centre has revealed that more than 50 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were issued last year, the highest ever number and 7.5% up on the year before.

Nice guidelines state that the first line of treatment for mild to moderate depression should be talking therapy. What is going wrong? Are there a lack of therapies availble? Are GPs too stretched to do more than offer an anti-depressants. Are we as a nation medicalising every low mood which is part of daily lfe. I have known anti-depressants prescribed when someone has a relationship break down. This is a normal part of life and we should be supporting each other to cope. Do we give enough time to our friends and do they give time to us? I seem to be asking a lot of questions but don't know the answers. Read more at:

http://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/HSCIC_reveal_more_than_50_million_antidepressant_prescriptions_issued_last_year_83288.aspx?utm_source=http%3a%2f%2fnews.pavpub.com%2folmgroup_prolz%2f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MHTnews6813&utm_term=Mental+Health+Today+news+1-6+August%3a+Dementia+risks+from+rugby+highlighted&utm_content=42775