Antidepressant prescriptions skyrocket

ATLANTA, July 9 (UPI) -- A new government study released in Atlanta reveals antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took 2.4 billion drug prescriptions into account and found 118 million were for antidepressants, CNN reported Monday.

"Depression is a major public health issue," said Dr. Kelly Posner, an assistant professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. "The fact that people are getting the treatments they need is encouraging."

But while she believes genuine depression is causing the numbers to rise, Dr. Robert Goodman, an internist in New York City, said he believes the real reason for the skyrocketing antidepressant prescription rates is pharmaceutical companies marketing their products to consumers and doctors.

"You put those two together and you get a lot of prescriptions for antidepressants," he said. "It's hard to believe that number of people are depressed, or that antidepressants are the answer."