Over-diagnosis and over-medication has led to one in six Americans being on psychiatric drugs. An increasing number of household pets are put on anti-depressants. Why do cats and dogs need mood elevators? Do we do to them what we do to ourselves? Can we learn from the mistakes of the American society and rather not emulate them?
Mental health in India needs massive improvement and we can learn a lot from the ‘West’. However, there is a dark side of the western story that needs mention.
Pharma companies have framed our arguments towards chemical-based treatments alone, with complete disregard for any other class of treatments in most therapy areas, especially mental illnesses.
High sales and diagnosis numbers speak for the success for pharma companies and their profits, but not necessarily actual healing of patients, and even pets. Pharma companies have framed our arguments towards chemical-based treatments alone, with complete disregard for any other class of treatments.
Patient advocacy groups funded by pharma giants have led everyone to believe that chemicals are the only treatment, with complete disregard for counseling, psychiatric help, community support, lifestyle changes, food, nutrition and physical health to achieve mental health.
One in six people on lifelong medication is also a very stark reality that we, as a country, rather not emulate. There is no shame in any illness, no shame in seeking cures — this message needs to be spread. Along with the message of caution against over-medication. Possibly, Indians don’t just have plain disdain of mental illness. It’s possibly fear.
The real issue is — no ailment should be treated with disdain or derided. No one in their right mind is denying that bipolar is not a debilitating or a major depressive disorder. There is no shame in seeking help, medication or care.
However, having seen where the West (especially America) has gone, is that the model anyone in the rest of the world can follow?
After decades of over-medication, the West is now pushing back on chemical-based treatment for most diseases. Rising costs of healthcare, huge side effects, declining overall health is making everyone realize that chemical cures are not the only way out. There is a strong move to look at ‘functional medicine’ which heals without drugs.
People are moving towards functional medicine for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, thyroid, gut health, and mental illnesses as well.
There is need to ask more logical question in Healthcare, that go to the root of the illness. While illnesses are real, our treatments might just be skimming the surface, and not giving the body the holistic treatment it is craving for.
Anu Lall
The full article appeared in an Indian Newspaper earlier this week.
