Even before COVID-19 and certainly afterward, people have been anxious, depressed, stressed, and even suicidal. But are these mental illnesses or natural and expected reactions to extreme life events? Should these experiences be treated with drugs or acknowledged as reactions to deep flaws in modern culture and lifestyles?
The Epoch Times spoke to several people whose minor lifestyle stresses—or those of their family member—were interpreted as “mental illness” and subsequently overmedicated. In some cases, medication led to side effects that led to additional medication.
Polypharmacy, is the “regular use of at least five medications” according to an article in American Family Physician—a practice which the authors say, “increases the risk of adverse medical outcomes.”…