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I can see some physical things (hormones and such) leading people to depression, but like you said, a lot of it has nothing to do with things pills will solve.

As a side, my MIL is moving to Texas and her Dr. has put her on Prozac for nerves. Since starting it she has lost weight and seems a lot more flighty. I don't think she even needs it. Of course she is going to have anxiety. She is making a big move. But I think the drugs are making things worse.

I worked in a pharmacy, putting myself through college. I dealt with the patient at the front counter. The head pharmacist was always emphasizing treating people with dignity and respect, regardless of what their condition was or what medication they were taking. (This was Waaaay before HIPAA.) There was no private area to talk about sensitive subjects, so the pharmacist would quietly take them aside where no one could hear and talk to them. If a patient had a question, they were asked if they wanted to talk about it privately.

On the computer program we had, there was an area for private comments about the customer. However, it was not a printable field. And we were told to keep it professional and non-judgemental. Most comments were about drug addicts (seeks drugs, has changed quantities on the scripts, has changed # of refills, etc.)

The policies worked for all of us except one pharmacist. He was just careless and lazy. Wouldn't take the time to get peoples names correct or pronounce them correctly. He would say "Your is ready." It only took three warnings for him to get a clue.

Now I work for a company and we've had HIPAA training. The penalties are horrendous if you break the rules, most companies, drs, pharmacies are being extremely careful.

About the woman in the article. Most people are ashamed if they have a mental illness and have to take medication. To have it hollered out in front of everyone would be embarrassing. To have Crazy on your comments would be humiliating. Would I sue? No, with a caveat. I would be nice for the initial episode. If it occurred again, I would write letters up to the president of the company. And take my business elsewhere.

Weight loss is a side effect of Prozac. She may want to talk to her dr to see if a change is necessary. There are also other things that can be taken for anxiety and nerves for the short term.

I have seen medications work really well for mental conditions. The trick is to try and figure out why the problem is occurring and getting rid of the problem. Sometimes that is possible, sometimes it is not. Just popping a pill for anxiety isn't the solution long term. It is a tricky area to diagnose and medicate. Just my two cents.