Pills for Personal Problems

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to call attention to what appears to be the relentless march of the psychotropic drug juggernaut. At a recent symposium, at which the prescribing habits of general practitioners came under scrutiny, Harman stated, “Opinion is growing that in the use of psychotropic drugs we may be evolving a dangerous monster, not by intent but by unplanned increments.”1How justified this alarm call was is a matter for debate, which must necessarily be based on an examination of available statistics. © 1975, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.