In 1980, about 1 in 100 children in the US were taking psychiatric medications. Today, that number is 1 in 10. Even more shockingly, 1% of 3-year-olds in the US are taking psychiatric medications. Across the board, 1 in 5 Americans takes daily psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, and sleeping pills — and these numbers continue to rise. 

Presumably, humans haven’t changed in the past 40 years, so why has the way we are treating their symptoms changed? Join us as Dr. David Cohen looks at psychoactive drugs and how their desirable and undesirable effects have been constructed for society through language, policy, attitudes, and social interactions.

Today’s two-part episode looks at how we got here, examines the possible implications for our society, and attempts to answer the question, “Is this the best medical treatment available?”

Please note, this is part 1 of 2.

To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

For 20+ years our guest, Professor David Cohen, has been doing research on psychoactive drugs (prescribed, licit, and illicit) and their desirable and undesirable effects. He has also authored and co-authored over 120 articles and book chapters on these and other subjects.

Recently he was one of the main experts interviewed in “Medicating Normal,” an in-depth documentary about the overuse and harmful impact of commonly prescribed psychiatric drugs.

About 1 in 5 Americans takes daily psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, and sleeping pills. Most people take them for months and years.

While these medications can provide effective short-term relief, Dr. David estimates about 30–35% of regular users experience harm and/or are made worse by the drugs. But the real percentage could be higher because harms are not studied carefully.

Driven by profit, pharmaceutical companies, which spend billions of dollars annually promoting psychiatric drugs, keep evading the serious study of the dangers and long-term harms these drugs can cause. And no other responsible agency is taking up the slack.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.

Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.

To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.

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