Australian Antidepressant Usage Surges
A report released by Australian Prescriber has highlighted an increase in prescriptions of the antidepressant sertraline. The report, released this morning, highlights the ten most prescribed drugs between July 2019 and June 2020. Sertraline is the only prescription mentioned designed for mental conditions, with all the other drugs designed to help physical conditions.
The entry of sertraline onto the list is motivated by a variety of reasons. Chief amongst these motivations, according to Professer Jayashri Kulkarni, is the increase of sertraline use amongst women. Surprisingly, due to the time-frame which the report uses, Coronavirus was not cited as a reason behind the increased usage.
But while the increase may show a greater awareness of mental health issues and a desire to seek treatment, there is also the possibility drugs like sertraline are being over-prescribed. In order to ensure their effectiveness, a holistic approach to mental health treatment must be adopted.
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