Psychiatric Drug Use Increases Rapidly in United States

A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioral, cognitive and perceptual components. The recognition and understanding of mental health conditions have changed over time and across cultures, and there are still variations in the definition, assessment, and classification of mental disorders, although standard guideline criteria are widely accepted. According to a Medco’s Neuroscience Therapeutic Resource Center report, the medicating of Americans for mental illnesses continued to grow over the past decade, with one in five adults now taking at least one psychiatric drug such as antidepressants, anti-psychotics and anti-anxiety medications.

Among the most striking findings was a big increase in the use of powerful antipsychotic drugs across all ages, as well as growth in adult use of drugs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—a condition typically diagnosed in childhood. Use of ADHD drugs such as Concerta and Vyvanse tripled among those aged 20 to 44 between 2001 and 2010, and it doubled over that time among women in the 45-to-65 group, according to the report. Psychiatric medications are among the most widely prescribed and biggest-selling class of drugs in the U.S. In 2010, Americans spent $16.1 billion on antipsychotics to treat depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, $11.6 billion on antidepressants and $7.2 billion on treatment for ADHD, according to IMS Health, which tracks prescription-drug sales.

Whether psychiatric drugs are used appropriately or not has been a longstanding concern among medical professionals and policy makers in the U.S. Evidence continues to grow about possible serious side effects, particularly among children and the elderly. For instance, in 2004 the Food and Drug Administration required a “black box” warning—its most serious—about the possible increase in suicidal thoughts in children and teens taking antidepressants, and in 2005 it warned about the increased risk of death with certain antipsychotics in elderly patients with dementia. It is becoming more evident that the risk involved with taking these kinds of drugs is a serious matter. Proper supervision and behavioral therapy is a crucial aspect included with people who need psychiatric drugs to function normally. Programs for all ages and genders are readily available for patients using psychiatric drugs in order to ensure that healthy and proper safety measures are taken. Seabrook offers programs that are tailored to the individual patient—so if you are looking for custom treatment options look no further than Seabrook. With their main rehab facility located in rural Bridgeton, New Jersey (NJ), Seabrook offers private and exclusive inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detoxification treatment at a close location to most northeastern states. Contact Seabrook today if you have questions or issues with your psychiatric drug use.