Troubling military prescription trend - Army Community - Army Discussions - Army Times

Troubling military prescription trend

It’s no surprise that military prescriptions for psychiatric medications are up sharply in recent years.

But military data show a steep rise in prescriptions for anti-psychotics, anti-convulsants and antidepressants not just among active-duty troops, but also kids.

Among Tricare beneficiaries ages 18 to 34, mostly first-term and midcareer troops and spouses, such prescriptions rose 42 percent from 2005 to 2009.

Over the same period, the number of prescriptions for those same powerful medications rose 18 percent among dependent children and 24 percent for beneficiaries ages 45 to 64, mostly senior leaders or retirees and their spouses.

All the increases outpace overall growth in the Tricare population over the same period.

Clearly, this trend reflects the cumulative stress of almost a decade of war. Far less clear is what the military will — or can — do about it.

At a recent conference in Washington, D.C., the issue was discussed among military health officials who worry about overprescribing, as well as the practice of mixing multiple medications in potentially dangerous “cocktails.”

But at this point, more questions than answers remain:

• Is there a link between the rise in prescriptions and the sharp spike in military suicides?

• Does rampant use of these drugs reflect a shortage of therapists and a resulting over-reliance on medication?

• How should the military approach the worrisome problem of increased mental health stress among dependent children?

The ripple effects of these issues will last for years; in-depth study is urgently needed now to prepare for that uncertain future.

The military has a new top doctor, Jonathan Woodson. These questions should be near the top of his priority list.