‘Alarming’ increase in psych drug use by deployed U.S. soldiers

By Bryant Furlow on Jun 11, 2010 with Comments 0

June 11, 2010 — The U.S. Department of Defense is unable to accurately track prescription medications and psychiatric drugs, including antipsychotics, used by deployed troops, newly-released transcripts of a U.S. Senate hearing reveal.

However, there is widespread use of prescription medications and particularly psychiatric drugs by deployed soldiers, testimony before the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee revealed.

“We have an alarming use in the increase of antidepressants,” Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D – MD) said. “In 2005, there were more than 4,000 combat troops using antidepressants. That’s about 1 percent. By 2007, it grew to over 19,000, or 5 percent, of our troops on antidepressants. That’s a huge increase in the use of antidepressants.”

Estimates suggest up to 12 percent of deployed soldiers are taking psychiatric drugs, testimony revealed.