Pills for personal problems.

The purpose of this paper is to call attention to what appears to be the relentless march of the psychotropic drug juggernaut. At a recent symposium, at which the prescribing habits of general practitioners came under scrutiny, Harman stated, Opinion is growing that in the use of psychotropic drugs we may be evolving a dangerous monster, not by intent but by unplanned increments.' How justified this alarm call was is a matter for debate, which must necessarily be based on an examination of available statistics.