A New Jersey congressman’s revelation that he stepped away from the spotlight for four months because of depression has brought the mental health conversation back to the forefront. But his announcement comes as the Department of Health and Human Services is taking steps to limit the use of some antidepressants. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Department of Health and Human Services is rolling out a new initiative to prevent the overprescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs 

  • Psychiatrists warn that overprescription is not the mental health issue the department should be focusing on

  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also made false claims that SSRIs cause violence, addiction and a withdrawal worse than heroin, said Marketa Wills, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association

  • The initiative rolls out as a Republican member of Congress, Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey, announced he was away for four months being treated for depression

More than 16% of Americans take an antidepressant, according to the National Institutes of Health, but HHS is claiming there’s an overprescription problem. 

“Psychiatric medications have a role in care, but we will no longer treat them as the default," Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in May. "We will treat them as one option, to be used when appropriate, with full transparency and with a clear path off when they are no longer needed."

But psychiatrists and medical experts warn that the agency is misrepresenting the main mental health issue impacting Americans. Experts such as Dr. Marketa Wills, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association, say Kennedy’s claims about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs, are false. 

“The idea that overprescribing is the main issue in psychiatry is one that we at the APA just do not believe, Wills said. “The main issue is making sure that those who need care have access to care. And there are millions of Americans who need care, psychiatric care, mental health care who aren't able to access it right now.”

In addition to claiming overprescription is the issue, Kennedy has also made accusations that SSRIs, which include widely used Zoloft and Prozac, can cause violence, addiction and a worse withdrawal than heroin. But Wills says all of those claims are false, adding that the medications often decrease symptoms of violence. 

Health and Human Services said part of the initiative is to improve training for psychiatrists on prescribing the medications. But Wills said psychiatrists are already appropriately trained, and she said she worries misinformation like that could cause harm. 

“There are times when medication is truly indicated, and we don't want that stigma about psychiatric medication to prevent those who need the help from getting it,” she said. 

In a statement to Spectrum News, HHS pushed back against this criticism, saying it will evaluate prescribing trends, diagnostic thresholds, and benefits and risks of available treatment approaches. 

“Mental health challenges are serious and deeply personal, and every American deserves care grounded in the best available science," spokesperson Emily Hillard said in a statement. " … NIH will conduct research as appropriate, and FDA will review labeling for older generic drugs to ensure it reflects the latest scientific evidence."

These new steps also come at a time when mental illness is on the rise across the country, with the National Alliance on Mental Illness reporting that 1 in 5 Americans experience mental illness. 

One of those people, U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., revealed his depression diagnosis June 30 after being hospitalized and stepping away from the spotlight for four months. 

"When people hear the word 'depression,' many people think it simply means feeling sad," Kean said Tuesday in a speech on the House floor. "But depression is so much more than that. It is physical. It is emotional. And until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be."

For Wills, the next step is for her organization’s president, Dr. Mark Rapaport, to meet with HHS in a technical expert panel about whether SSRI medication is overprescribed. She said it will help “to ensure that science and evidence are at the forefront.”