Why are so many Americans on anti-depressant drugs, anti anxiety drugs, etc.?

Question

Americans use more anti-depressant, anti anxiety drugs, than any other country. Why do you think this is? Are physicians dispensing them as a cure all, or do Americans have more depressive type illnesses than other countries? In you opinion why do we have more depressive type illnesses? Is it our enviroment, food, what? All opinions welcomed.

Answer 1

As a person who has suffered from these disorders for many many years(age 19), I am now in my Mid-fortys I believe That Americans are the only people in the world that have Guilt Shame and Fear breeded in them. This had come about as a Result of our Western European Ancestory. If you look into our culture Especially in the Early New England period of time,We were very much in love with Religion . This country was Founded by Christians .Not necessarily a Freeing God Concept .By that I mean a God that Frees one from all of these horrible feelings of the big 3 Guilt fear and Shame. My parents and their parents who were also from Western Europe I had noticed were full of these Horribly destructive thoughts about not feeling right about God, Or good enough to really have a healthy concept and relationship.I think that my parents were of the belief that if you do not work very very Hard almost to the Point of Self- destruction that you are no good Lazy ,crap , etc . I have noticed that in many foreign countries that they realize they cannot be God or cannot be a God unto themselves. They are willing to Forgive others their mistakes and they are not in a Rush to get Or Own things that others like here in America are killing themselves and other People to Own. They are willing to Wait and be Patient in life. Our American Culture and our way of living Has changed and has become so much Faster than People can Possibly keep up with. It seems almost like everyday we here of some new Mental or Physical disease that has been discovered by Doctors. I think that a lot of these new maladys are caused by the Pressure of trying to keep up with a country that seems like it is constantly speeding faster and changing. I have learned that I have limitations on my work and on my desires and on my relations etc. I have become more of a Patient helpful person in my Years having Bi-polar illness. I believe that being raised in a highly stressful,alcoholic, at times hellish and hellishly Lonesome homelife can almost Predispose one especially younger people today to any one of the major mental illnesses.

Answer 2

I personally think the difference in the American society in medication being passed out is from a lot of reasons. 1. in this country we are trying to be more aware of mental issues (as a whole) than some countrys. Plus, as a first world country we can purchase medications, whereas those in a third world might not be able to. 2. We are known notoriously for having a hectic life style, and example is that in Germany a family can still live off of the income of one parent (i pretty sure of that, but i may be wrong), while as you know Americans need 2 incomes now pretty much. We are also know for very busy days, with kids having to work, do extracuricular activities, and school all at once, younger kids are getting more and more homework these days, and adults are having to spend more time at work to make ends meet. 3. Americans do seem to have a problem with thinking that everyone has some sorta disorder, like how tons of kids now adays are getting diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, while it's most likely the kids are just active, or because they don't get much attention from thier parents. 4. Going along with the hectic things, Americans are known for getting an inadequete amound of sleep, which can very easily lead to mental issues. 5.Our food is horrible, first off all the fat and grease and huge portions naturally inclines someone to be more likely to be depressed. Also, with the increase of food you get larger, which makes you more likely to be depressed. And along with that, being larger caues you to not want to do active things, so your brain doesn't realease as many endorphines, so you get depressed easier. There are many ways the food causes depression and stuff. Our society overall is more prone to it's citizens being depressed, just cause of all the flaws worked together. Mostly though, i think it is the hectic life style, people don't spend so much time with others (like not eating dinner together) and that can have devastating effects on someone. So yeah, that's what i think. =)

Answer 3

I feel because most Americans nowadays are too self-centered. They also seem to make mountains out of molehills and once something goes wrong, instead of trying to find logical solutions to problems, they have to run right to the shrink because everything is such a huge crisis. YES, there are SOME people who truely need antidepressants but there are some who just THINK he/she needs drugs to get through life. There are generations who have been through hell and back (i.e. World Wars; The depression) but they did what they had to do to get through life. Nowadays, it seems if someone was served a latte instead of a cappacino (which I have no clue what the difference is...it's all coffee to me) at a Star Bucks, the person has to run to the shrink and get a perscription because the person can't handle the mental anguish of getting the wrong order (yeah, this is an exaggeration but we need to wake up and get tough instead of using "drugs" as a crutch...if we start becoming concerned about other people and try to help them and take a really good look around, we'll see we really don't have it that bad and DON'T need drugs)...oh, and there are natural substances that can help those who are truely depressed but the drug companies don't want us to know about it because they'd lose lots of money...same thing goes with physical ailments. If you don't like this answer, go back to your double mocha latte cappachino espresso and take 30 ambients (or whatever antidepressant you take) while you're at it because your problems are sooooooo much bigger than anyone else's.

Answer 4

I think people have sometimes lost the skills and don't have the attitude to find what is really important in the world. There is a lot of advertising about what is good, or what to fear or who is sexy or things that are needed/wanted that is really not so important. And i think a lot of that drive for living is then misdirected into owning things and earning money rather than living a good life, having a positive outlook and maintaining healthy relationships.

Some things I think are important are being satisfied with your work, having and creating a supportive community, friends or family network, having enough to eat, keeping healthy, and living safely. I think there are enough discussions or examples out there on how to maintain health and have a heathy attitude. Yoga books have some interesting comments on living holistic lives.

So if people aren't doing the healthy life maintenance stuff then they sometimes will need medications to correct the physical imbalances that are created with fast paced lives, high stress jobs, poor eating habits and poor nutrition, lack of sleep and inability to relax. Hey we have all been there right!

Answer 5

Stress. America is becoming increasingly more stressful with demanding jobs and societal pressures. I think America's main stressors are our money obsession and time management. Once we have a taste of money we want more, coupled with society's expectations to keep making more and more money and reach the "American Dream." And then there is the need to use time effeciently. Constantly thinking things like "if only I had stayed in that lane I would have made that light." We really have no patience and the need to make money to be a person worthy of society along with the obsession with time management can cause alot of stress. especially if things dont go the way we want them. That easily explains the anxiety problems, but stress can also be a big part of depression. If things dont go our way we feel that we are not worthy and are therefore not satisfied with ourselves. If only we could learn to accept our surroundings, our position in life, then we could learn to be happy people. The glass would be half-full.

Answer 6

Theres probably no higher a percentage of depressed people in America than anywhere else It's probaby a higher number of people because of the size of the population I'd say.

America probably has more of everything due to it's size but also it's wealth as a nation. I doubt there are many third world countries that can get prescription anti-depressants, they just have to lump it.

Answer 7

I found the answer to those questions in Mad in America - Bad Medicine, Bad Science and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill... in it, author Robert Whitaker reports 300 years of psychiatric history... he tells that, for the most part, medications (which are not curative - just symptom maskers) are formulated specifically so that getting off of them for good is not easy (the book shares the whys of that)
"In an important series of multi-national studies conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) over the last 3 decades, consistent evidence using rigorous methods suggests that the course and outcome of schizophrenia is especially favorable in developing countries, particularly in rural India and Africa - areas which regularly use community healing technologies, and rely very little on psychotropic medication. This provides a sharp contrast to technologies of the West, which hold psychotropic medication as the most reliable and efficacious treatment available." excerpt from "Improving Community Based Care for the Treatment of Schizophrenia" - Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal - Summer 2003
as far as why there are more folks diagnosed and on meds, I go back to Mad in America - its good business, m'dear... nothing more and nothing less... that it is killing us slowly but surely, no matter... ya see, its good business

Answer 8

A few reasons come to mind....

1. Americans eat for convenience, not health

2. Doctors here fail to teach preventative medicine & have an obssessive-compulsive- diagnoses-and-prescription- writing -disorder

3. We're living out of touch with the natural way in most every area of life...

Answer 9

I believe our fast paced, technology advanced, materialistic world has made us all stressed and possibly depressed. The pills are given as a cure all. I think the obvious is that we need to stop and smell the roses. It seems to me that the Bible says we will self destruct. Maybe that is what we are doing. We have spoiled ourselves to boredom.

Answer 10

Some people need them. Its not just Americans. Many people in every country don't go to the doctor. But I have to admit I know many people who don't need them.