Dr. Chris Palmer

There are thousands of peer-reviewed, published articles in leading journals, Nature, Cell, all sorts of journals over the last several decades. Just to, again, try to bring this back to just common sense. So we have these things called diseases of aging. What are the diseases of aging? The diseases of aging are obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders.

There are thousands of peer-reviewed, published articles in leading journals, Nature, Cell, all sorts of journals over the last several decades. Just to, again, try to bring this back to just common sense. So we have these things called diseases of aging. What are the diseases of aging? The diseases of aging are obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders.

There are thousands of peer-reviewed, published articles in leading journals, Nature, Cell, all sorts of journals over the last several decades. Just to, again, try to bring this back to just common sense. So we have these things called diseases of aging. What are the diseases of aging? The diseases of aging are obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders.

Those are universally thought of as diseases of aging. Interestingly, what often gets left off of that category are the mental disorders. especially today, a lot of people think of mental disorders as primarily a youth problem. But in fact, mental disorders, depression, anxiety, psychosis, are actually diseases of aging. So the Center for Disease Control has put out kind of charts of any age group

Those are universally thought of as diseases of aging. Interestingly, what often gets left off of that category are the mental disorders. especially today, a lot of people think of mental disorders as primarily a youth problem. But in fact, mental disorders, depression, anxiety, psychosis, are actually diseases of aging. So the Center for Disease Control has put out kind of charts of any age group

Those are universally thought of as diseases of aging. Interestingly, what often gets left off of that category are the mental disorders. especially today, a lot of people think of mental disorders as primarily a youth problem. But in fact, mental disorders, depression, anxiety, psychosis, are actually diseases of aging. So the Center for Disease Control has put out kind of charts of any age group

What is the probability if you are a youth in America today that you will be prescribed an antidepressant, an SSRI antidepressant? If you're between 20 and 40, what's the probability? Among the remaining people who are still 20 to 40, among all the people that age, as people get older— the risk for antidepressant prescription goes up.

What is the probability if you are a youth in America today that you will be prescribed an antidepressant, an SSRI antidepressant? If you're between 20 and 40, what's the probability? Among the remaining people who are still 20 to 40, among all the people that age, as people get older— the risk for antidepressant prescription goes up.

What is the probability if you are a youth in America today that you will be prescribed an antidepressant, an SSRI antidepressant? If you're between 20 and 40, what's the probability? Among the remaining people who are still 20 to 40, among all the people that age, as people get older— the risk for antidepressant prescription goes up.

The highest category of people prescribed antidepressants are 65 and older.

The highest category of people prescribed antidepressants are 65 and older.

The highest category of people prescribed antidepressants are 65 and older.

Most people do, and that's why I'm saying this, because it's shocking to most people. It was actually surprising to me, but I was thinking, wait, if my theory is correct, then mental disorder should be a disease of aging. And in fact, they are. Antipsychotic prescriptions, what age group is the most likely to be prescribed an antipsychotic? Over age 80. Really? Oh, it goes through the roof.

Most people do, and that's why I'm saying this, because it's shocking to most people. It was actually surprising to me, but I was thinking, wait, if my theory is correct, then mental disorder should be a disease of aging. And in fact, they are. Antipsychotic prescriptions, what age group is the most likely to be prescribed an antipsychotic? Over age 80. Really? Oh, it goes through the roof.

Most people do, and that's why I'm saying this, because it's shocking to most people. It was actually surprising to me, but I was thinking, wait, if my theory is correct, then mental disorder should be a disease of aging. And in fact, they are. Antipsychotic prescriptions, what age group is the most likely to be prescribed an antipsychotic? Over age 80. Really? Oh, it goes through the roof.

Because dementia is associated with 40 to 50 percent of the people with dementia will have psychotic symptoms, hallucinations and delusions. they'll have agitation. The benzodiazepines, the prescription rate goes up. Now, with benzos, there is a dip starting at age 65. And that is really because physicians are explicitly told do not prescribe benzos to people over 65.

Because dementia is associated with 40 to 50 percent of the people with dementia will have psychotic symptoms, hallucinations and delusions. they'll have agitation. The benzodiazepines, the prescription rate goes up. Now, with benzos, there is a dip starting at age 65. And that is really because physicians are explicitly told do not prescribe benzos to people over 65.

Because dementia is associated with 40 to 50 percent of the people with dementia will have psychotic symptoms, hallucinations and delusions. they'll have agitation. The benzodiazepines, the prescription rate goes up. Now, with benzos, there is a dip starting at age 65. And that is really because physicians are explicitly told do not prescribe benzos to people over 65.

So the rate starts going down. But with antidepressants, It's almost linear. The older you are, the more likely you are to be receiving a prescription for an antidepressant. Antipsychotics, there are some waves and shifts. Women, for example, around the time of menopause, get a peak. So you get a peak around the age of 20, which is new onset schizophrenia. And then it kind of comes down a little.

So the rate starts going down. But with antidepressants, It's almost linear. The older you are, the more likely you are to be receiving a prescription for an antidepressant. Antipsychotics, there are some waves and shifts. Women, for example, around the time of menopause, get a peak. So you get a peak around the age of 20, which is new onset schizophrenia. And then it kind of comes down a little.