In the U.S. the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has been looking into the prescription of psychiatric drugs such as antipsychotics, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. The study used data from the 2005 National Disease and Therapeutic Index, a national sample of around 4,000 doctors carried out by IMS health. It found that antipsychotic drugs were only actually used for schizophrenia/psychosis just over a third (35%) of the time and were actually used more often (39%) to treat mood disorders. The drugs - which can have serious side effects - were also used to treat dementia (7.4%), anxiety (6%) and ADHD (6%). Antidepressants were mostly used to treat mood disorders (65%) but they were also used to treat anxiety (16%) and schizophrenia/psychosis (2.6%). 28% of prescriptions for anti-anxiety drugs were used for non-psychiatric problems including anxiety related to medical treatment (6%), allergic reactions (4%) and back problems (2.5%).
You can find out more about this study at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/183073.php
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