Because of diagnostic inflation, an excessive proportion of people have come to rely on antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety agents, sleeping pills, and pain meds. We are becoming a society of pill poppers. One out of every five U.S. adults uses at least one drug for a psychiatric problem; 11 percent of all adults took an antidepressant in 2010; nearly 4 percent of our children are on a stimulant and 4 percent of our teenagers are taking an antidepressant; 25 percent of nursing home residents are given antipsychotics. ...
Loose diagnosis is causing a national drug overdose of medication. Six percent of our people are addicted to prescription drugs, and there are now more emergency room visits and deaths due to legal prescription drugs than to illegal street drugs.
Allen Frances, M.D, "Saving Normal," pp.xiv-xv
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