Re: since 1988, antidepressant drugs have doubled every three years - USA

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Biederman and his ilk and direct to

consumer advertising.....

On 3/23/2011 4:00 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Corroborating these findings is data showing that since 1988,

prescriptions for antidepressant drugs have doubled about every

three years in the U.S. Americans now take antidepressant drugs

more than they do any other prescription drug. Additionally,

Americans make extensive use of alcohol and illegal drugs to

ameliorate the angst of just being alive.

http://www.thedailysound.com/032211-RANDY-ALCORN-RIGHT-ON-TARGET

RIGHT ON TARGET: The world's wealthiest

nation is not the happiest place on earth

By RANDY ALCORN -- MARCH 22, 2011

A recent international survey conducted by the National

Institute of Mental Health found that the incidence of bi-polar

disorder (aka manic-depression) is nearly twice as high in the

U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Corroborating these findings is

data showing that since 1988, prescriptions for antidepressant

drugs have doubled about every three years in the U.S. Americans

now take antidepressant drugs more than they do any other

prescription drug. Additionally, Americans make extensive use of

alcohol and illegal drugs to ameliorate the angst of just being

alive.

The world's wealthiest nation, with the highest standard of

"material" living is apparently not the happiest place on earth.

Meanwhile, India, with its hundreds of millions of impoverished

people, has the lowest incidence of bipolar disorder. As Lou

observed, "Two TV sets, two Cadillac cars, ain't helping us

at all."

Sociologists, psychiatrists, and philosophers are pondering

what might be the cause of America's fragile mental health. The

demise of ancient Rome's mental health is blamed on the

pervasive use of lead plumbing. Maybe the blame in modern

America goes to cell phones, insomnia, and sugar. Maybe world

class depression is just another part of American

exceptionalism.

But, maybe the source of Americans' increasing mental anguish

is that Americans live in the world's most treacherous economic

jungle where personal worth is measured by net worth, and where

lurking economic cannibals lay traps to ensnare wallets that

they shrink and hang like trophies from their money trees. These

traps are baited with Americans' aspirational fixation to be, or

at least appear to be, among the economic elite. In large part,

the current Great Recession was precipitated by this wanna-be

obsession. The sub-prime mortgages that enticed people to

finance more house than they could afford; the trillions of

dollars in credit card debt that Americans incurred to live

beyond their means were traps set by Wall Street cannibals and

into which stepped millions of imprudent, class-conscious

Americans.

Driven by the American Dream, which has come to mean having

more stuff than the guy next door, the pursuit of happiness is

ever elusive because someone always has more, and there is

always more to have. Unrealized expectations and economic set

backs devastate self-esteem in a society that mercilessly

measures status by dollars. Americans are always fretting over

how to make more money or worried about losing what they have.

No wonder antidepressants sell so well.

Aggravating Americans' mental funk is a culture of insincerity.

Like a miasmic stench, insincerity emanates from our economic

jungle and assaults Americans with exaggerations, preposterous

promises, and outright lies all aimed at extracting their

money—earned or borrowed. How often does any product or service

actually perform as advertised? Is your internet service really

"blazingly fast"? When you have an insurance claim are you

really in "good hands"? Is your bank one you never have to

"think about"? Does that big oil company "really care" about the

environment? Are the "friendly skies" all that friendly?

Deceit, dishonesty, and hypocrisy are all common currency in

business, politics, and even religion. Corporations promote

enhanced images of themselves and their products that are

misleading at best, fraudulent at worst. Politicians are, of

course, inveterate liars, sometimes even starting and continuing

wars based on lies. Priests molest children and the church

covers it up. And, of course, all those folks who live beyond

their means are living a lie.

When so much commerce and communication cannot be trusted, when

someone's word is as likely to be a lie as a bond, when the

motive for almost everything is acquisitive, can any society

avoid widespread mental misery?

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Biederman and his ilk and direct to

consumer advertising.....

On 3/23/2011 4:00 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Corroborating these findings is data showing that since 1988,

prescriptions for antidepressant drugs have doubled about every

three years in the U.S. Americans now take antidepressant drugs

more than they do any other prescription drug. Additionally,

Americans make extensive use of alcohol and illegal drugs to

ameliorate the angst of just being alive.

http://www.thedailysound.com/032211-RANDY-ALCORN-RIGHT-ON-TARGET

RIGHT ON TARGET: The world's wealthiest

nation is not the happiest place on earth

By RANDY ALCORN -- MARCH 22, 2011

A recent international survey conducted by the National

Institute of Mental Health found that the incidence of bi-polar

disorder (aka manic-depression) is nearly twice as high in the

U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Corroborating these findings is

data showing that since 1988, prescriptions for antidepressant

drugs have doubled about every three years in the U.S. Americans

now take antidepressant drugs more than they do any other

prescription drug. Additionally, Americans make extensive use of

alcohol and illegal drugs to ameliorate the angst of just being

alive.

The world's wealthiest nation, with the highest standard of

"material" living is apparently not the happiest place on earth.

Meanwhile, India, with its hundreds of millions of impoverished

people, has the lowest incidence of bipolar disorder. As Lou

observed, "Two TV sets, two Cadillac cars, ain't helping us

at all."

Sociologists, psychiatrists, and philosophers are pondering

what might be the cause of America's fragile mental health. The

demise of ancient Rome's mental health is blamed on the

pervasive use of lead plumbing. Maybe the blame in modern

America goes to cell phones, insomnia, and sugar. Maybe world

class depression is just another part of American

exceptionalism.

But, maybe the source of Americans' increasing mental anguish

is that Americans live in the world's most treacherous economic

jungle where personal worth is measured by net worth, and where

lurking economic cannibals lay traps to ensnare wallets that

they shrink and hang like trophies from their money trees. These

traps are baited with Americans' aspirational fixation to be, or

at least appear to be, among the economic elite. In large part,

the current Great Recession was precipitated by this wanna-be

obsession. The sub-prime mortgages that enticed people to

finance more house than they could afford; the trillions of

dollars in credit card debt that Americans incurred to live

beyond their means were traps set by Wall Street cannibals and

into which stepped millions of imprudent, class-conscious

Americans.

Driven by the American Dream, which has come to mean having

more stuff than the guy next door, the pursuit of happiness is

ever elusive because someone always has more, and there is

always more to have. Unrealized expectations and economic set

backs devastate self-esteem in a society that mercilessly

measures status by dollars. Americans are always fretting over

how to make more money or worried about losing what they have.

No wonder antidepressants sell so well.

Aggravating Americans' mental funk is a culture of insincerity.

Like a miasmic stench, insincerity emanates from our economic

jungle and assaults Americans with exaggerations, preposterous

promises, and outright lies all aimed at extracting their

money—earned or borrowed. How often does any product or service

actually perform as advertised? Is your internet service really

"blazingly fast"? When you have an insurance claim are you

really in "good hands"? Is your bank one you never have to

"think about"? Does that big oil company "really care" about the

environment? Are the "friendly skies" all that friendly?

Deceit, dishonesty, and hypocrisy are all common currency in

business, politics, and even religion. Corporations promote

enhanced images of themselves and their products that are

misleading at best, fraudulent at worst. Politicians are, of

course, inveterate liars, sometimes even starting and continuing

wars based on lies. Priests molest children and the church

covers it up. And, of course, all those folks who live beyond

their means are living a lie.

When so much commerce and communication cannot be trusted, when

someone's word is as likely to be a lie as a bond, when the

motive for almost everything is acquisitive, can any society

avoid widespread mental misery?

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Biederman and his ilk and direct to

consumer advertising.....

On 3/23/2011 4:00 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Corroborating these findings is data showing that since 1988,

prescriptions for antidepressant drugs have doubled about every

three years in the U.S. Americans now take antidepressant drugs

more than they do any other prescription drug. Additionally,

Americans make extensive use of alcohol and illegal drugs to

ameliorate the angst of just being alive.

http://www.thedailysound.com/032211-RANDY-ALCORN-RIGHT-ON-TARGET

RIGHT ON TARGET: The world's wealthiest

nation is not the happiest place on earth

By RANDY ALCORN -- MARCH 22, 2011

A recent international survey conducted by the National

Institute of Mental Health found that the incidence of bi-polar

disorder (aka manic-depression) is nearly twice as high in the

U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Corroborating these findings is

data showing that since 1988, prescriptions for antidepressant

drugs have doubled about every three years in the U.S. Americans

now take antidepressant drugs more than they do any other

prescription drug. Additionally, Americans make extensive use of

alcohol and illegal drugs to ameliorate the angst of just being

alive.

The world's wealthiest nation, with the highest standard of

"material" living is apparently not the happiest place on earth.

Meanwhile, India, with its hundreds of millions of impoverished

people, has the lowest incidence of bipolar disorder. As Lou

observed, "Two TV sets, two Cadillac cars, ain't helping us

at all."

Sociologists, psychiatrists, and philosophers are pondering

what might be the cause of America's fragile mental health. The

demise of ancient Rome's mental health is blamed on the

pervasive use of lead plumbing. Maybe the blame in modern

America goes to cell phones, insomnia, and sugar. Maybe world

class depression is just another part of American

exceptionalism.

But, maybe the source of Americans' increasing mental anguish

is that Americans live in the world's most treacherous economic

jungle where personal worth is measured by net worth, and where

lurking economic cannibals lay traps to ensnare wallets that

they shrink and hang like trophies from their money trees. These

traps are baited with Americans' aspirational fixation to be, or

at least appear to be, among the economic elite. In large part,

the current Great Recession was precipitated by this wanna-be

obsession. The sub-prime mortgages that enticed people to

finance more house than they could afford; the trillions of

dollars in credit card debt that Americans incurred to live

beyond their means were traps set by Wall Street cannibals and

into which stepped millions of imprudent, class-conscious

Americans.

Driven by the American Dream, which has come to mean having

more stuff than the guy next door, the pursuit of happiness is

ever elusive because someone always has more, and there is

always more to have. Unrealized expectations and economic set

backs devastate self-esteem in a society that mercilessly

measures status by dollars. Americans are always fretting over

how to make more money or worried about losing what they have.

No wonder antidepressants sell so well.

Aggravating Americans' mental funk is a culture of insincerity.

Like a miasmic stench, insincerity emanates from our economic

jungle and assaults Americans with exaggerations, preposterous

promises, and outright lies all aimed at extracting their

money—earned or borrowed. How often does any product or service

actually perform as advertised? Is your internet service really

"blazingly fast"? When you have an insurance claim are you

really in "good hands"? Is your bank one you never have to

"think about"? Does that big oil company "really care" about the

environment? Are the "friendly skies" all that friendly?

Deceit, dishonesty, and hypocrisy are all common currency in

business, politics, and even religion. Corporations promote

enhanced images of themselves and their products that are

misleading at best, fraudulent at worst. Politicians are, of

course, inveterate liars, sometimes even starting and continuing

wars based on lies. Priests molest children and the church

covers it up. And, of course, all those folks who live beyond

their means are living a lie.

When so much commerce and communication cannot be trusted, when

someone's word is as likely to be a lie as a bond, when the

motive for almost everything is acquisitive, can any society

avoid widespread mental misery?

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Biederman and his ilk and direct to

consumer advertising.....

On 3/23/2011 4:00 AM, jeremy9282 wrote:

Corroborating these findings is data showing that since 1988,

prescriptions for antidepressant drugs have doubled about every

three years in the U.S. Americans now take antidepressant drugs

more than they do any other prescription drug. Additionally,

Americans make extensive use of alcohol and illegal drugs to

ameliorate the angst of just being alive.

http://www.thedailysound.com/032211-RANDY-ALCORN-RIGHT-ON-TARGET

RIGHT ON TARGET: The world's wealthiest

nation is not the happiest place on earth

By RANDY ALCORN -- MARCH 22, 2011

A recent international survey conducted by the National

Institute of Mental Health found that the incidence of bi-polar

disorder (aka manic-depression) is nearly twice as high in the

U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Corroborating these findings is

data showing that since 1988, prescriptions for antidepressant

drugs have doubled about every three years in the U.S. Americans

now take antidepressant drugs more than they do any other

prescription drug. Additionally, Americans make extensive use of

alcohol and illegal drugs to ameliorate the angst of just being

alive.

The world's wealthiest nation, with the highest standard of

"material" living is apparently not the happiest place on earth.

Meanwhile, India, with its hundreds of millions of impoverished

people, has the lowest incidence of bipolar disorder. As Lou

observed, "Two TV sets, two Cadillac cars, ain't helping us

at all."

Sociologists, psychiatrists, and philosophers are pondering

what might be the cause of America's fragile mental health. The

demise of ancient Rome's mental health is blamed on the

pervasive use of lead plumbing. Maybe the blame in modern

America goes to cell phones, insomnia, and sugar. Maybe world

class depression is just another part of American

exceptionalism.

But, maybe the source of Americans' increasing mental anguish

is that Americans live in the world's most treacherous economic

jungle where personal worth is measured by net worth, and where

lurking economic cannibals lay traps to ensnare wallets that

they shrink and hang like trophies from their money trees. These

traps are baited with Americans' aspirational fixation to be, or

at least appear to be, among the economic elite. In large part,

the current Great Recession was precipitated by this wanna-be

obsession. The sub-prime mortgages that enticed people to

finance more house than they could afford; the trillions of

dollars in credit card debt that Americans incurred to live

beyond their means were traps set by Wall Street cannibals and

into which stepped millions of imprudent, class-conscious

Americans.

Driven by the American Dream, which has come to mean having

more stuff than the guy next door, the pursuit of happiness is

ever elusive because someone always has more, and there is

always more to have. Unrealized expectations and economic set

backs devastate self-esteem in a society that mercilessly

measures status by dollars. Americans are always fretting over

how to make more money or worried about losing what they have.

No wonder antidepressants sell so well.

Aggravating Americans' mental funk is a culture of insincerity.

Like a miasmic stench, insincerity emanates from our economic

jungle and assaults Americans with exaggerations, preposterous

promises, and outright lies all aimed at extracting their

money—earned or borrowed. How often does any product or service

actually perform as advertised? Is your internet service really

"blazingly fast"? When you have an insurance claim are you

really in "good hands"? Is your bank one you never have to

"think about"? Does that big oil company "really care" about the

environment? Are the "friendly skies" all that friendly?

Deceit, dishonesty, and hypocrisy are all common currency in

business, politics, and even religion. Corporations promote

enhanced images of themselves and their products that are

misleading at best, fraudulent at worst. Politicians are, of

course, inveterate liars, sometimes even starting and continuing

wars based on lies. Priests molest children and the church

covers it up. And, of course, all those folks who live beyond

their means are living a lie.

When so much commerce and communication cannot be trusted, when

someone's word is as likely to be a lie as a bond, when the

motive for almost everything is acquisitive, can any society

avoid widespread mental misery?