I was amazed to learn about the ongoing inquiry into the death of 17-year-old Toran Henry. Toran was prescribed an anti-depressant widely known as Prozac.The specialist medical evidence is split right down the middle in regards to whether an anti-depressant was the right medication for this young man.
One line of medical advice says Prozac was good for him, another line of specialist opinion says the evidence is clear Prozac and other anti-depressants can cause anxiety, paranoia, aggression and suicidal tendencies.
You would be equally amazed to know that in a period of five years, anti-depressant prescriptions in this country increased by a whopping 2000%.
Now does this mean there is such a raging epidemic of depression afflicting New Zealanders, they all have to start popping pills?
Life's trials and tribulations are tough, they are stressful, they do cause anxiety – but we don't all have to reach for a pill to solve it or sort it.
One 14-year-old girl I know was taken from 13 years in total immersion kura kaupapa and placed in a mainstream secondary school. She was unwell and her father took her to a GP.
Her father indicated she was old enough to face the consultation by herself and waited in the waiting room.
Fifteen minutes later she walked out with a prescription putting her on Prozac. She took the drug for two days and it turned her into a zombie. Her parents stopped the medication and two weeks after entering her into mainstream school it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, and her stress and anxiety were put to an end – not by Prozac but by working through her anxiety.
Obviously there will be a requirement for some people to be prescribed anti-depressants.
But we cannot continue to accept that New Zealanders are by a significant number, a walking group of frustrated, tensed-up fruitcakes requiring thousands and thousands of prescriptions for anti-depressants.
Sunday News, February 7, 2010