The Food and Drug Administration approves drugs, such as antidepressants and specifically SSRIs, to treat specific health conditions that are recognized and diagnosed. However, many people who take antidepressants have never been diagnosed with depression–their main tested and approved use.
Media reports have estimated that 43 percent of people prescribed antidepressants have never been diagnosed with any psychiatric condition and have never had other mental health care.
And one study of Medicaid enrollees found that three-quarters of the people taking antidepressants were using the drugs for an “off-label” reason–one that is not approved by the FDA.
Related material: Risks and side effects
