Posted by Lou PIlder on July 28, 2016, at 17:02:03
In reply to Fact Checking Some Anti-Psychiatry Claims, posted by Tabitha on July 28, 2016, at 15:14:49
> We have a poster here who has made various claims about deaths from drugs. He has said 40,000 to 500,000 die per year in the U.S., and 1,000,000 per year worldwide. Let's do some basic fact-checking using reported death statistics.
>
> In the U.S. in 2014, there were
> 47,055 deaths from drug poisoning. Of those,
> - 18,893 pharmaceutcial opioid analgesics
> - 10,574 heroin
> - 17,588 non-opioid pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical
>
> In terms of intent, of 47,055 deaths there were:
> - 38,585 (82%) unintentional
> - 5,646 (12%) suicides
> - 2,823 (6%) undetermined intent
>
> We are discussing psych meds here, not opioid analgesics or street drugs. We are also not recommending anyone use drugs for suicide or otherwise mis-use them. So the relevant number for discussion here is
>
> 17,588 deaths. Of these,
> - some portion are non-opioid street drugs (such as meth) and other non-pharmaceutical drugs (such as supplements)
> - some portion up to 3,165 (18%) are suicides
>
> Contrast this with the range of numbers that have been posted-- 40,000 to 500,000. Seems anywhere from "off" to "way off". Kind of makes you doubt the source of information, doesn't it?
>
> We also see the same poster denying there is any benefit of psych meds in suicide prevention or mitigation of symptoms, despite evidence to the contrary. Let's get an idea of the risk of suicide.
>
> In the U.S. in 2014, there were
> 42,773 deaths from intentional self-harm (suicide). Of those,
> - 5,646 drug poisoning
> - 37,127 other methods
>
> So we are dealing with a risk of 42,773 deaths per year from suicide, and a poster here wants us to discount that risk, and instead worry about a risk that is at most 17,588 deaths per year. It makes no sense. And he accuses people here of promoting death!
>
> As we all know, suicide isn't the only risk of un-treated mental health conditions. There is also immense suffering, lost productivity, and harm to others. This poster makes repeated claims that psych meds are not useful and are entirely harmful, ignoring all evidence to the contrary. These are misguided and irresponsible claims.
>
> ================================================
>
> Data sources:
> - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/factsheets/factsheet_drug_poisoning.htm
> - http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1653518#sthash.5R28HcNo.dpuf
> - http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Causes_of_Death#sthash.Nllx2fjo.dpbs
> - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
>
> Friends, I could be the subject person by Tabitha.
Let me give you some help here.
Lou
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXQa0T_tHy8
poster:Lou PIlder
thread:1090941
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20160713/msgs/1090943.html