Happy pills

Drugs for treating depression work on the chemical imbalance theory, but scientists have called that into question.

- Marc Wilson

Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders are prescribed antidepressants, and the number appears to have been climbing.

Healthnavigator.org.nz tells me that there are four broad families of antidepressant drugs. These include tricyclics and monoamine-oxidase inhibitors. Though they work differently, these two groups of drugs date back to the 1950s, which saw a dramatic increase in the development of medications for psychological distress.

Ironically, the first monoamine-oxidase inhibitor antidepressants grew out of attempts to make a treatment for tuberculosis. I don’t know if they worked for that, but patients were notably more cheerful and active. A “happy little accident”, as American artist and TV host Bob Ross would say.

Our brains produce and use a various chemicals as messengers to get stuff done. Need to bolster happy feelings? That requires unlocking the neural cupboards that regulate mood by releasing a bunch of the relevant “keys” (neurotransmitters) that float around until they find the lock they fit. Happiness ensues. Because our brains are tidy Kiwis, they reuptake the keys left-lying around, to be recycled and stored for next time.