According to the IQVIA Institute’s “U.S. Drug Use 2024” report, health care visits, procedures, tests, and vaccinations decreased, but new prescriptions rose by 3%. U.S. pharmaceutical expenditure is projected to increase by $127 billion by 2028. This is partly due to advances in treatment for conditions like cancer and diabetes.
However, it’s crucial to examine how this ongoing rise in prescription drug use impacts the population. The effects are extensive, influencing both personal health and the environment. Discover the hidden costs to your health and the planet from daily prescription drug use and consider therapeutic alternatives.
White pills on a green leaf, close-up
Weaknesses of Pharmaceuticals for Health Management
While prescription drugs can save lives or improve the quality of life, relying solely on them can be harmful. Masking pain or other symptoms with medication may prevent you from addressing underlying issues. For example, taking antidepressants without psychotherapy can lead to long-term dependence and possible mental health relapse, making you feel out of control in your recovery.
Pharmaceutical drugs can sometimes harm public health. Beyond the high cost of prescription drugs, they can have other costly effects on health and the environment.
An overwriting problem
The rise in prescriptions isn’t just due to pharmaceutical advances and new drugs. Daniel J. Safer’s comprehensive review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research indicates an alarming rate of overprescription, which is a public health concern. Commonly prescribed medications include proton pump inhibitors, levothyroxine, antidepressants, and opioids. Adults over 65 are particularly at risk for polypharmacy, or taking multiple medications simultaneously long-term.
Overprescribing occurs when doctors prescribe drugs in larger amounts or more frequently than necessary, possibly due to increased medical sales or “doctor shopping” by patients acquiring drugs unethically. Overprescription is dangerous and can negatively impact both wallets and overall health.
Dependence
Overuse of prescription drugs can lead to addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drugs like opioids and antidepressants are addictive both psychologically and physically. Patients often start medications to alleviate distressing symptoms, unaware of the risk of addiction. Psychiatric medications are particularly overprescribed, neglecting underlying psychological symptoms. Relying solely on medication instead of a holistic approach can lead to drug addiction.
You may develop an uncontrollable urge to recreate the drug’s effects or prevent withdrawal symptoms. Over time, your body may require higher doses to achieve the same effects, feeding a negative cycle of addiction without a backup wellness routine, harming both mental and physical health.
Side effects
Many pharmaceuticals come with potentially harmful side effects. It’s crucial for doctors and patients to understand their mental and physical health to determine drug safety. Medicines can interact with each other and pre-existing conditions, causing side effects like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, headache, and muscle pain.
This is especially true for older adults taking multiple prescriptions. Drug interactions can cause severe side effects like fainting or seizures, which are especially harmful to those at risk of fractures or further illness. Mental well-being is vital in your golden years. If you’re masking issues like lack of exercise, poor diet, sleep habits, or unhappiness with medications, you’re more likely to experience negative side effects and feel unable to function without them.
Some medications can worsen mental health problems. Drug addiction can also lead to isolation or damage relationships. Prescription drugs are a leading cause of death in America due to overuse, prescribing, or misuse, especially in older adults where confusion or dizziness can cause injury or death. Undiagnosed conditions can also be exacerbated by medications, leading to severe complications, including fatal overdoses.
The impact of prescription drugs on the environment
The environmental impact of pharmaceuticals is still being studied, but the EPA links adverse effects to improper manufacturing and disposal of prescription drugs. Key factors include:
- Greenhouse gas emissions from pharmaceutical production, contributing to climate change;
- Pharmaceutical waste contaminating water and soil, like antibiotic residues causing antimicrobial resistance or toxic chemicals harming wildlife;
- Bioaccumulation of pharmaceutical products, leading to fertility issues and possible cancers;
- Plastic pollution and infection spread from improperly disposed needles, pill bottles, and other materials.
Pharmaceutical companies play a significant role in these effects, but you can help by recycling old pill bottles. This conserves resources, reduces landfill waste, and prevents microplastics from contaminating water and land. Donate, reuse, or recycle old bottles, ensuring they’re clean and labels removed. Properly dispose of unused medications to prevent environmental contamination or misuse.
Educate yourself about the medications you need and explore holistic wellness approaches to reduce pharmaceutical dependence. Contributing to a healthy planet can improve mental well-being, knowing you’re positively impacting the environment and those around you.
Alternative approaches to health
Understanding the negative effects of pharmaceuticals can lead you to explore alternative health approaches, emphasizing a holistic perspective on physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Incorporate the following into your routine, with or without prescribed medications:
- Regular exercise to improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles, and boost mental health;
- A balanced diet to nourish your body with whole foods, enhancing mental and physical strength and preventing illness;
- Quality sleep to improve cognitive function, rejuvenate your body, and prevent disease;
- Mindfulness practices to connect mind and body, reducing stress, anxiety, and negative emotions;
- Therapy, whether group or individual, to improve quality of life;
- Complementary approaches like acupuncture, massage therapy, and herbal remedies alongside conventional medicine.
Nourishing your mind, body, and spirit can reduce dependence on prescription drugs. It may be challenging initially but is less costly for your wallet, health, and the environment in the long run. Think of your habits beyond taking pills as a backup plan to ensure functionality without pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceuticals are pervasive, but it’s crucial to think critically about what you put into your body and the environment. Work with a doctor open to holistic methods to find the right combination of medications and lifestyle changes. Focusing on holistic wellness benefits both health and the planet, leading to better energy, happier days, and a healthier mind and body.
Mad in America hosts blogs from diverse writers, serving as a public forum for discussing psychiatry and treatments. Opinions are the writers’ own.
Mad in America has updated its commenting process. Logging in or creating an account is no longer needed to comment. Only your name, email, and comment text are required. Previous comments remain visible on the site.