Click Here To Purchase Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry Is Medicating A Nation 

Author: Charles Barber

ISBN:  978-0-375-42399-4

Charles Barber was educated at Harvard and Columbia and worked for ten years in New York City shelters for the homeless mentally ill. The title essay in his first book, Songs from the Black Chair, won a 2006 Pushcart Prize. His work has appeared in the The Washington Post, the New York Times and Scientific American Mind, among other publications, and on NPR. He is a senior administrator at The Connection, an innovative social services agency, and a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine. He lives in Connecticut with his family. 

The experiences Barber shares are eye openers. Until I read this book, I didn’t realize just how doctors were indeed over prescribing medications -- not that there are not real cases of mental health problems that benefit from medications, but should the same pill to help a real case of depression also be used for someone suffering an adjustment issue? 

 I was surprised to learn that this is the case. Medication has an important role in the treatment protocol for severe metal health issues – schizophrenia and major depression, but we are lead to believe that drugs are an effective way to relieve the normal episodes of life, as well.

The drugs may get you over the hump of occasional depressing days, but it will do little or nothing to help you learn ways to get over the humps without prescription drugs. This book confirms for me that it’s easier for Americans to pop a pill than address the real issues.

With fast food, fast cars, and fast computers – it’s no wonder we have settled for nothing less than a quick fix to the inevitabilities of life – losses, changes, etc. While many of us cope and work through the issues, there are some that would prefer to take a pill – quick relief being only a prescription away. And what is startling is that at least half of those in need of real assistance with real mental health issues are not receiving it.

The physicians who are prescribing the quick fixes for normal adjustment issues remind me of a mechanic and their customer who has a flat tire – instead of the mechanic showing you how to change the tire or sending you to someone that can instruct you, he hands you a can of his special fix-a-flat-tire. Instead of learning to help yourself and getting the spare out of the trunk, rolling up your sleeves and changing the bloody thing, you whip out the can of the mechanic’s special fix-a-flat-tire and you go on your marry way. However, the next morning, you’re saddened to learn that once again your tire is flat – and the mechanic is closed. You have not learned to remedy life’s flat tires and are totally dependant on the mechanic to solve your flat tire dilemma.   

I also didn’t know that “Americans account for two-thirds of the global antidepressant and psychiatric drug market,” and “227 million antidepressant prescriptions were dispensed to Americans in 2006 – more than any other class of medication.”  In does not surprise me that in the fast paced nation we live in with the technology, food, and remotes, we would be depressed. We are alienated from each other – where are the days we spent with our family and friends instead of in virtual chat rooms and watching the latest reality show?  A quick fix, easy solution and depressing.

I learned about the “little D” depression and the “big D” depression – one is in response to life’s adjustments and the other is a mental illness. Both are frequently treated the same – medication, instead of using cognitive-behavior therapy or other alternative, non-medication approaches. It’s has become the norm to take a pill for help over the humps of everyday life instead of learning to realize the triggers for our “little D” depression. But everyone seems to play along. The pharmaceutical companies make the happy pills, the doctor is happy to prescribe the happy pills, and the insurance companies are happy to pay for the happy pills. In one instance, an insurance company was happy to pay for a prescription – why not, since alternative therapy is more costly. Patients are less likely and may be less able to pursue therapy. Barber says, “…the vast majority of antidepressant prescriptions are written by family doctors.” And, “as a result, after starting antidepressants and taking them for three months, ¾ of adults and over half of children do not see a doctor or therapist specifically for mental health care. Another report found that only 10% of people who take antidepressants have any kind of follow-up appointments to monitor the medication.” 

When I look at the homeless situation, I automatically think alcoholics and drug addicts. It rarely occurs to me that many of the homeless have serious mental health issues – and I never realized that many go untreated.  When I learned that the “little D” depression was treated in the same manner as severe depression, I was appalled. Why should a homeless or less fortunate person not receive treatment for a mental illness – but the movie stars and college kids can get medications to get them over that last depressing movie or through the woes of college exams?

While pharmaceutical companies are skilled at marketing their wares, Barber ultimately blames the doctors – they are the ones who have taken an oath to “do no harm.” And just how safe are these drugs being prescribed? “Major drug companies have been in the news for blatant violations.” For example, “under a marketing campaign called “Viva Zyprexa.” Eli Lilly pushed Zyprexa, indicated for biopolar and schizophrenia, on patients who did not suffer from either condition. The patients were actually suffering from dementia, a condition for which Zyprexa is not approved. In fact its use for dementia is warned against by the FDA, which has stated that Zyprexa can increase the risk of death for older patients with dementia-related psychosis. In the last few years, Lilly has paid $1.2 billion to settle claims for patients who said they developed diabetes or other diseases after taking the drug.” And “Lilly is not alone.” 

This is a tough subject but Barber speaks out and tells it like it is – from experience.  I highly recommend this book.