the epidemic of mental illness

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/jun/23/epidemic-mental-illness-why/?pagination=false

1. increase in # treated for MI:  2.5x betw '87 and /07 (from 1 in 184 to 1 in 75)
2. MI now leading cause of disability in children
3. 46% w at least 1 MI w/in 4 categories (1 anxiety,2  mood disorders, 3 impulse control disorders, 4 substance use disorders)
4. shift from talk therapy to drugs as dominant mode
5. 3 books which criticize the trend:  angry, sad books
   disturbing extent of selling drugs
   doubt MI is caused by a chem imbalance
6. brain has billions of nerve cells (neurons).  Multiple filament (axon and dentrites) to signal
   signal across synapse.  to signal, release a neurotransmitter.
7. drugs affect neurotransmitter levels
8. much more on whether drugs actually relate back to the source of the problem or actually create an imbalance in the brain (!)
9. placebos were 82% as effective as drugs
10. getting off the drugs can be tricky

in past couple of years, use in preschoolers is dropping http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/us-psychiatric-drug-idUSBRE98T03X20130930