I don't know that this is right. Especially I know my brother was non-functional before he found the right anti-depressant, and is much more political today than when he had untreated depression. Still the speculation in this article nags a bit at me.
http://my.firedoglake.com/davidswanson/2011/05/23/the-small-group-of-thoughtful-committed-citizens-has-been-drugged/ The nut 'graphs (maybe in more than one sense) >“Like many people,” says Rall, “I have often wondered why so many Americans >seem so emotionally flat and politically apathetic in response to a political >and economic landscape that cries out for protest, or at least complaint. >Could it be that our society’s most angry — justifiably angry — are being >medicated into quiescence?” It does seem possible. I don’t mean to discount >the fact that the United States imprisons record numbers of people. I’m >willing to share some blame with our education system, our so-called news >media, our religiosity, the two-party trap, and several other likely factors. >But drugs looks like the big one that is nonetheless hardest to see. People >don’t usually tell you they’re drugged, but chances are at least one in 10 >people you meet is. >Two years ago, a study found that “the number of Americans taking >antidepressants doubled to 10.1 percent of the population in 2005 compared >with 1996, increasing across income and age groups.” One year earlier, another >study had found that close to 10 percent of men and women in America were >taking drugs to combat depression, and that 11 percent of women were taking >antidepressants.” >Author and clinical psychologist Bruce Levine tells me this may be even worse >than it sounds. “If you are around certain populations,” Levine says, “that 10 >percent stat seems very low, especially among healthcare professionals and >college students.” College students? I can remember them getting pretty >thoughtful and committed in times past. “And that 10 percent,” Levine adds, >“only includes the ‘official antidepressants’ such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, >Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Effexor, etc. This stat doesn’t include people using ADHD >drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall, etc. to stimulate themselves.” -- Facebook: Gar Lipow Twitter: GarLipow Grist Blog: http://www.grist.org/member/1598 Static page: http://www.nohairshirts.com _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list pen-l@lists.csuchico.edu https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
