It was my understanding that Zoloft and Prozac were “smart” antidepressants, drugs that could lift the depressed out of the darkness and in some cases, jumpstart the brain into recognizing happiness. Tall order, I know.

It was also my initial understanding that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were designed for short-term interventions of a few months or few years. But no, now with many Americans on SSRIs for 10, 12, 15 years, people may indeed be realizing that they have been guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical industry. Maybe you can’t stay on these meds for your whole lifetime. The latest news:

Daily use of the antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) by adults 50 years and older is associated with a doubled risk of some fractures, according to a report in the January 22, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives.

While this study was done with folks over 50, I think people nearing mid-life who’ve been on an SSRI for 10 years or more might ask their doctor if they’re a candidate for a bone density baseline, and if they should increase their intake of Vitamin D and calcium.

I very much like Beyond Blue’s multi-faceted approach to beating depression. Note that drugs are important, but not the whole solution.