“Up until the late 1990s, depression was all but unknown in Japanese society and pharmaceutical companies had given up on trying to sell anti-depressants there. Fast forward to today and court cases alleging overwork depression and overwork suicide, reassuring commercial branding of depression as a “cold of the soul” and increased media attention have turned Japan into a highly medicated society. In the first episode of a five-part series about mental health and culture, Christopher Harding explores how in just a few years, psychiatrists, lawyers and the pharmaceutical companies helped introduce ‘depression’ to Japan.“
This book excerpt on the Verso website offers a quick telling of how the same thing happened in America at the cusp of the 1980s
http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2268-the-happiness-industry-and-depressive-competitive-disorder
cool thanks, yeah I remember all too well all the analysands showing up on meds and still suffering from the same symptoms followed by a parade of drug reps and endless ads…