Government Thinks 1 in 5 Americans is Mentally Ill, and Other Links
People with low incomes are more likely to develop kidney failure and less likely to receive a living donor kidney transplant. This is consistent with every study I have ever seen on non-price rationing.
Earmarks really do cause higher spending. HT to Tyler Cowen.
One of the interesting things that I read recently about mental illness is that it’s really hard to define what’s normal. One of the reasons that people like taking antidepressants is that it helps them function better in social settings like work or with family. But, nature doesn’t want all of us to be “people persons,” so there is variation in our species. The problem comes when you’re in modern society, and not being good at socialization (or not always being happy and upbeat) turn out to be a detriment to success.
Normal is relative.
The article claiming 20% of Americans suffer from a mental condition in any given year is simiar to past research. Remember the old joke… “one-in-five people are crazy. Look at four of your friends, if none of them are crazy, that means you’re probably that one-in-five.”
I believe the one in five. I run into them every day.
I wonder if the government thinks the percentage of mentally ill increased after the last election?
It makes me wonder if one out of five psychiatrists are mentally ill…
On kidneys, non-price rationing is usually bad for poor people.
Ditto Joe’s comment. The price system benefits the poor and the disadvantaged because in the marketplace, their dollars buy just as much as the dollars of the wealthy and the advantaged.