1 in 6 Americans Are Now on Psychiatric Medication

By Dr. Mercola Recent research shows that American doctors are still over-prescribing many different kinds of drugs,1 especially antibiotics and opioid pain killers, despite repeated calls for prudence. U.S. health care expenses have also risen, hitting $3.2 trillion annually as of 2015, and rising prescription prices combined with over-prescribing are significant drivers of these rising costs, according to a government report.2,3,4,5 While psychiatric drugs were not included in that report, statistics reveal a very clear trend of over-prescribing here as well. According to recent research, 1 in 6 Americans are now on antidepressants or some other type of psychiatric drug, and most appear to be taking them long-term.6,7,8,9,10 That's quite an extraordinary number, and a significant increase, nearly doubled, from 2011 when 1 in 10 American adults reported using a psychiatric drug.11 According to lead author Thomas J. Moore, a researcher at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices:12
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