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Report: 1 in 5 American Adults Takes Mental Health Drugs

1 minute read
More than 1 in 5 American adults now takes at least one type of medication to treat a psychological disorder, a 22% rise since 2001, according to new statistics released by Medco Health Solutions, which monitors drug trends in insurance claims. The data don't necessarily mean that we are overmedicated. Indeed, the World Health Organization estimates that slightly more than a quarter of Americans suffer from mental illness in any given year. The changes in use of mental health drugs reflect a variety of factors, including marketing trends, shifts in patent protections and government safety warnings. Here are some of the most notable changes described in the new report "America's State of Mind" [PDF].Getty Images
By TIME Staff

More than 1 in 5 American adults now takes at least one type of medication to treat a psychological or behavioral disorder, a 22% rise since 2001, according to a new report by Medco Health Solutions, which monitors drug trends in insurance claims. Does that mean Americans are overmedicating their minds?

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