Do Antidepressants Improve Quality of Life?
Depression Has Worsened During the PandemicSymptoms of depression can include a depressed mood, a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, and symptoms that include problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, or self-worth.Before the pandemic, about 1 in 12 U.S. adults reported depressive symptoms each year. According to research published in October 2021 in the journal Lancet Regional Health Americas, that number has now tripled; nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults — 32.8 percent — experienced elevated depressive symptoms in 2021.Findings Suggest Antidepressants Did Little to Improve Health-Related Quality of Life To examine the impact of antidepressants on quality of life measures in people with depression, the researchers used data from the 2005–2015 United States Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS), a large longitudinal study that tracks use of health…