According to an article in The News Minute, some Indian states have less than 10 psychiatrists, and the Health Ministry is trying to change that. Instead of sensibly working to reduce the number of shrinks to zero, incredibly, India is trying to attract more of them!
According to the World Health Organization, over five crore Indians [one crore is 10 million] suffered from depression in 2015 and had the highest estimated number of suicides.
Perhaps the Health Ministry should review the figures: Psychiatrists find that prescribing drugs pays much better than communicating, and so they nearly always treat depression with antidepressants. If the Health Ministry succeeds in attracting a passel of shinks and their prescription pads here is what could happen:
First: Placebos are nearly as effective as antidepressants, and placebos cost less and have fewer side effects, such as suicide. Yes, one of the side-effects of antidepressants is suicide!
Second: A study revealed that communication works better at preventing suicide than antidepressants. But like the dinosaur, psychiatrists who can communicate have gone extinct in the survival of the richest.
Third: A 15-year study of Swedish women showed that instead of reducing suicides as expected, antidepressants actually increased the incidence of suicide.
Fourth: Antidepressants increase the risk of death by 33 percent as they block the absorption of serotonin by organs that need it.
Fifth: A Duke University study back in 2000 established that physical exercise was as effective at treating depression as Zoloft.
Sixth: Cutting out sugar in the diet –according to another study — reduced depression by 23%.
Seventh: Testing of antidepressants has ignored negative effects of the drugs according to Scientific American, and so statements of safety are as suspect as statements of efficacy.
Seventh: Those of Asian heritage have largely turned down psychiatric medications, as has India. China and India have huge populations and thus are prime targets for psychiatrists and their pharmaceutical partners.
So in Summary: If the Indian Ministry of Health wants to increase suicides and depression, empty the treasury, and make things worse all around, bring on the psychs! If, on the other hand, the Ministry wants to decrease suicides and depression, then find people who can communicate effectively with people who are depressed, dispense placebos, promote physical exercise, cut down sugar in the diet and get rid of the psychiatrists already in each state.
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