More Bad Health News
It appears that anti depressants and drugs for diabetes are significantly on the rise. One billion prescriptions were written for diabetes medication this equates to £2.6 million pounds per day. Also alarmingly, the use and prescription of anti depressants are up costing the National Health Service £780,000 per day.
These figures are eye watering in themselves, but I believe they herald a significant public health warning. On some levels over the past three decades people are getting healthier. People are more aware of what they eat and are more mindful of the early symptoms of mental distress.
However, it is also clear, that there is a large minority who are getting more and more unhealthy. Be that in a physical way, which leads to diseases like diabetes or psychological which leads to the heavy prescription of anti depressants.
The mental health charity, MIND, has questioned the increase of the use of antidepressants and have also said “The charity said that while cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling were becoming more widely available, talking therapies were still not available to everyone who needed them.The charity said that while cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling were becoming more widely available, talking therapies were still not available to everyone who needed them.”
Drugs for our health are necessary and useful, but sometimes the ability to work through things in therapy is just what is needed. The NHS needs to be putting talking therapy on the agenda, and whilst it is find for those who can afford it can turn to private practice, it is necessary that therapy be available to all who need it without concerns of the costs, which are significantly less than long term drugs intervention.
