Denmark beats the US!

Yes, indeed, this is right! We're not at all as behind as I'd feared. We actually took the lead among the OECD member countries concerning the growth of antidepressant consumption from 2000 to 2005. And the trend looks promising: The sale of these pills keeps on skyrocketing.

Inga Marie Lunde thinks, this is a paradox: "Never before there have been more people employed, never before we've had more welfare, never before we've had better times, economically..." Yah, economically, Inga Marie, ECONOMICALLY. But this economy has its price, when it comes to the human aspect. Thus, the exploding demand for antidepressants maybe isn't that paradoxical, anyway. In addition, it seems that the box of Zoloft or Cymbalta in the purse is becoming something of a status symbol: "Look, me too, I'm doing that great economically, that I need an antidepressant!" So, you want to impress your neighbours and friends? Out with the pills and the toothpaste smile! You're not "depressed"? No problem, it's much easier than you might believe: Think about something saddening, that all your friends, everybody but you yourself, already a long time ago supplemented their designer-sofa and -kitchen with the pharmaceutical industry's designer-happiness, e.g., and mention some trouble sleeping, that you feel tired and maybe some loss of appetite, next time you see your GP. (S)He'll hurry and write a prescription. But check up on him/her, first. If (s)he's a member of the "Læger uden sponsor" (Doctors without sponsor)-network, initiated by Inga Marie Lunde, you'll may have to switch to another GP in order to get your hands on these hip and trendy pills.

By the way, in another article on the matter farmacologist Claus Møldrup explains the explosive sale of antidepressants contemplating that the Danes maybe just have been "insufficiently treated" when it comes to "depression". Well, if that is so, it was about time that we made up for lost ground, I'd say!