According to research from the Yale School of Medicine, published this week in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 30% of all Veterans Health Administration patients prescribed psychotropic medications in fiscal year 2010 had no psychiatric diagnosis.
Wiechers, I., Kirwin, P., Rosenheck, R., Increased risk among older veterans of prescribing psychotropic medication in the absence of psychiatric diagnoses. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Online October 28, 2013.
Many vets given psychiatric drugs without diagnosis (The Sun)
As if a bogus diagnosis for a made-up disorder could make this inhuman practice more acceptable. Every American should visit a large veterans hospital and see what goes on there.
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A related story and a comment.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/11/01/va-stops-releasing-data-on-injured-vets-as-total-reaches-grim-milestone/
As the American public’s opinion of the value of psychiatric drugs changes, the VA represents one of the last great maketing opportunities for Big Pharma to sell these products of dubious value but high profit potential. The drugging of kids in the schools and of the elderly, at home and in institutions is at last being seen as the great crime against humanity that it is. The connection between psychiatric drugs and violent/suicidal behavior can no longer be denied.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VHf9e39ilI
US veterans continue to consume these drugs, often unwillingly, and in large quantities. Big Pharma is paid directly by the government.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/sns-rt-us-vet-drugs-20131031,0,4897880.story
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I agree. The problem is the overuse of psychiatric drugs, not whether or not someone has been officially labelled.
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