# Are Americans world's most medicated people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 31, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986 "2005-07-31T06:53:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/1 "2005-07-31T06:53:54Z")
Having travelled abroad, lived abroad and remain in close contact with people I met during those times, one of the topics which always made me stop and wonder was a general assertion that Americans have a pill for everything, and not being able to really argue otherwise, how can it be a good thing that we seem to be the most medicated people in the world? Also true is the fact that we can purchase otc drugs most other countries would require a doctor’s prescription… and similarly, regarding other threads I’ve seen here, for depression. What is this phenomena really about? Capitalism and huge pharmaceutical companies “convincing” us thru their selling to doctors and advertising, lobbies in D.C., that if we take this or that pill, we’ll feel better in the morning? Or worse yet, Americans are the world’s most medicated people because we’re the least healthy? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/2 "2005-07-31T17:01:39Z")
> [@pace](#): > > and similarly, regarding other threads I’ve seen here, for depression. Actually, it seems that for a long time, the people consuming the most tranquilizers and antidepressants have been the french. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/3 "2005-07-31T17:14:31Z")
Dunno, human society came to its current point with people suffering ADHD and Bi-polarness and people just thinking they were spazzes and not ill. But, the dopers on this board who have those, and took medication describe it as being an eye-opening experience and finally being able to merge with society and operate as a normal person. Personally I feel that society works best with people being slightly out of sync with each other, and appreciate that I wouldn’t be the individual thinker I am if it weren’t for being nocturnal. And if there were a pill to counteract that so that I could be awake and refreshed when the rest of everyone else is–I wouldn’t take it. But that’s just personal preference. I would rather have the option to make that decision than to force those who aren’t as stubborn of a jackass as am I. ---
**Author:** ![nameless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/779978/32.png) [@nameless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nameless)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/4 "2005-07-31T18:11:03Z")
I think we’re the most medicated because we’re highly aware of mental illness. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 individuals will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives, so I’m not surprised that as people become more knowledgeable about the reality of psychological problems as a legitimate pathology prescriptions go up. No doubt, Big Pharma and insurance companies have precipitated a very definite and somewhat disappointing shift towards medication. It’s cheaper and faster to treat a patient with psychotherapeutics than it is to provide weeks of psychotherapy, so that’s what HMOs cover. ---
**Author:** ![MadderMitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e7dd6/32.png) [@MadderMitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadderMitch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/5 "2005-07-31T18:34:30Z")
> [@nameless](#): > > It’s estimated that 1 in 3 individuals will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives… By who? ---
**Author:** ![nameless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/779978/32.png) [@nameless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nameless)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/6 "2005-07-31T18:42:27Z")
The one in three figure is from a textbook I don’t have access to right now, but here’s a [link](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/06/AR2005060601651.html) that says one in four in the past year. Study was done by the University of Michigan. Will track down the book reference when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![nameless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/779978/32.png) [@nameless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nameless)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/7 "2005-07-31T18:50:44Z")
Actually, I missed this in the article on first read, but they say– > [@Washington Post](#): > > Almost half of Americans meet the criteria for such an illness at some point in their lives, the survey found. Most cases are mild and probably do not require treatment. But every year about 6 percent of adults are so seriously affected that they cannot perform even routine activities for periods averaging three months. Because schizophrenia, autism, and some other severe and relatively common disorders were not included, actual prevalence rates are somewhat higher, Kessler said. So perhaps even higher incidence rates than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-worlds-most-medicated-people/314986/8 "2005-07-31T18:54:27Z")
I can’t agree that America has more OTC products than other nations. In many nations you can get Tylenol with Codeine OTC. The process is simply different, resulting in a different array of avilailable options. I’ve been in pharmacies in these countries and they have just as many products. What they _don’t_ have is non-medical products like make-up and snacks, so the store is physically smaller. Bu the number of medicines is about the same. It is true that Americans prefer _pills_ the most – in Italy and France I understand effervescents are preferred, and I’m told Germans are fond of suppositories to a degree Americans find a bit horrifying.