The number of Americans suffering from mental illness has nearly doubled since 1987. That's when Prozac, the first of the "wonder drugs" was introduced. Mental disorders are reported in more than 25% of returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. And more than 1 in 4 college students are now on anti-depressants. With all the new drugs available for treatment, depression and anxiety disorders continue to rise. Is our drug-based system of care fueling this epidemic? With an unstable future and fewer family and community ties to help deal with problems, anxiety is also heightened by other factors related to modern society, such as war, global warming, advanced technology and globalization. What can we do to create a healthier society and treat those afflicted with mental illness in a more effective way?

Stephen Bezruchka teaches at the University of Washington and works as an emergency room physician in Seattle. His particular areas of research are population health and societal hierarchy and its application to health. He is author of numerous articles and essays. His most recent contribution is to Sickness and Wealth, a collection of essays on the effects of global corporatization on health.