Roughly 47 million Americans take prescription medication for mental health treatment. This number has steadily increased over the past decade–a clear indication of not only a mental health crisis but a dependency on pharmaceutical solutions.
Many are aware that the American public is overmedicated, but it is often framed as pharmaceutical greed. The mentality is that the more people that are medicated, the more money these companies make. Which, yes, drug manufacturers are generating significant revenue (almost $640 billion in 2024), but the true issue is the healthcare system as a whole.
Medication is used to treat a variety of mental health issues such as anxiety, ADHD and depression. Since COVID-19, the rates of these disorders have increased rapidly. Individuals seeking help to regulate these feelings seek out healthcare professionals, and, more often than not, are prescribed medications to aid their recovery. Medication can be helpful, but the issue is that they are often given as the first line of defense when they should be the last.
These drugs are also not a magic cure-all solution. They come with a long list of side effects, some of which can become chronic after extended use. Also, if these medications are used long-term their effectiveness decreases and dosage must be increased, leading to even more complications.
There are other solutions, such as talk therapy and lifestyle changes, but those take time–time people do not want to spare. So, they turn to drugs as the quick fix. Doctors also usually only have short windows of time to help, so that favors a fast solution. And, insurance more robustly covers medicated remedies. Big pharma does profit but through a system that enables them to do so.
Medications have a place in mental health, but should be used as a last resort. Other avenues should be explored before putting drugs into your body that alter your brain in ways not completely explored yet. People should invest in therapy, prevention and habit changes. Overmedication is a symptom of a deeper problem: a healthcare system that treats symptoms, not people.
