More Than 1 in 4 American Women Are Taking Mental Health Meds

More Than 1 in 4 American Women Are Taking Mental Health Meds

 

Have you had anxiety or depression lately? It seems you are not alone.

More than 1 in 4 American women took at least one Mental Health Medication last year for conditions like anxiety and depression. The report by Pharmacy Benefits Manager, Medco, found the use of drugs for psychiatric and behavioral disorders in all adults rose to 29% from 2001. These medications were most often prescribed to women aged 45 and older. but the use among men and older adults climbed sharply as well.

Harvard trained Dr. Peter Breggin says 26% of American women are on psychiatric drugs. The majority are taking antidepressants. The study he is siting came from insured Americans from years 2001 to 2010. This study did not include the uninsured Americans which there are a lot in todays economy.

Dr Breggin stated in an interview I heard him give, that this is not the result of so called increased mental illness but the disability being caused by the psychiatric drug itself. He explained that there is scientific proof that the longer a person is on a psychiatric drug, the harder it is to get off, the more depressed they become and the more apathetic one becomes. He stated that you are better off taking a placebo than an antidepressant. The antidepressants can actually cause depression. He feels one should try to find other help like a psychotherapist or something more hopeful.

Depression and anxiety can be caused by a wide variety of factors. It affects people of all ages, races, and nationalities. The World Health Organization said depression can be one of the most costly of all chronic diseases.

Here are a couple of articles from the Huffington Post:

Women And Prescription Drugs: One In Four Takes Mental Health Meds

New Research: Antidepressants Can Cause Long-Term Depression

 

Click here for our Blog Disclaimer.