Here in the states anyway these so-called "professionals" will give people scripts after a 15 minute conversation in their office. These meds are the type where once you get on them you can't stop or you really will go insane/suicidal/homicidal etc. Some people may really need meds but I bet it's less than 10% of the people who are on them. I've known people who've been basically pharmaceutical guinea pigs for 30 years when all they really needed in the first place was someone who gave a shit, helped them put life in perspective, deal with a traumatic experience, whatever.
More scientifically, these docs will claim you have some chemical imbalance that's causing your problems, yet they'll never hook you up to any sort of brainwave reading machine, or draw fluid or blood from it for a lab, etc. In other words they don't know if your brain chemistry needs altering because they have no way of knowing what the fuck it is in the first place. I don't if they even have a way to know for sure. They'll just give you meds and ask you if you feel better at the next visit. If yes, keep taking them. If no, try these other ones.
It's a quick easy way to generate bills and a lifetime customer for the pharma company. You could have a monkey just hand you random pills and accomplish the same thing. They only need a "doctor" so somebody can legally write the script.
Basically they use meds as a first option when it should be a last resort because it's quick and easy (for them).
Try other ways first. Counseling, meditation, yoga. Talk to your minister or other people from church if you're the religious type, if not that's fine. Acupuncture, other spirituality type stuff, Zen, dao, hippie drum circles, whatever. Exercise, change diet. Identify stressors and eliminate them (this can include certain people). Pick up a new hobby. Read books you like.
Etc., Etc.
Maybe after all this meds may still be in order but again, they should be the last option, not the first.
