So what’s going on? And furthermore, why are these alarming trends so seldom discussed in political terms? After all, pharmaceutical companies have only been able to manufacture and advertise anti-depressant drugs with governmental support and subsidy of various kinds. There’s a deep public policy interest in better ascertaining the reasons why so many Americans are taking these mass-produced pills to alleviate psychological anguish — and to understand whether their anguish is actually being alleviated as intended.