In the last ten years, psychiatric drug prescriptions have increased a whopping 73% among adults and 50% among children.
Some of the reasons for the trend are positive such as:
- A greater understanding of psychotropic drugs among general practitioners.
- Cheaper and more widely available drugs
- More support from the insurance companies
But this is still a trend to be concerned about and watch closely. First, any pill-popping increase of this level is worth a long look. Second, I’d like to see insurance companies give therapy the kind of street cred they give to prescription medication. Third, I have a gut reaction that these drugs are wildly over-prescribed to children and I’ve talked to plenty of doctors who feel the same way.
