June 03, 2004

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Thanks to Charles for pointing out this article:

The biggest study of global mental illness shows that rates vary greatly - with 4.3 per cent of people living in Shanghai showing symptoms of mental disorders in the past year, compared with 26 per cent in the United States...In the US, more rich, suburban patients are being treated for mild mental illnesses than are poor people with serious mental illness, said Professor Kessler.

Those interviewed in Japan reported a 5 per cent rate of anxiety disorders, for instance, and in China less than 4 per cent, against 18 per cent in the US. But Professor Kessler said reported rates in Japan and China were "implausibly low", as Japan has the world's highest use of anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazepines and China has the world's highest rate of suicide. (my emphasis)

Like that's a surprise to anyone who's ever been here. Just watch traffic on any Chinese road for 10 minutes to see what true mental illness is. Of course one other factor is China's high suicide rate is at least in part due to many deaths being classed as "suicide" rather than "death by torture in a secret police holding cell or prison". And I always suspected most of Japan was on something.

posted by Simon on 06.03.04 at 05:57 PM in the




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Comments:

Of course they're on something. A culture that has used panty vending machines and video games about fisting ex-girlfriends is definitely on something.

posted by: Jim on 06.03.04 at 08:21 PM [permalink]

"Of course one other factor is China's high suicide rate is at least in part due to many deaths being classed as "suicide" rather than "death by torture in a secret police holding cell or prison". "

now that's a speculation. a wild wild speculation.
based on what? how many?

posted by: sam on 06.04.04 at 09:35 AM [permalink]

I'm pretty sure that was just a bit tongue-in-cheek, though I'm sure Amnesty International has at least anecdotal evidence to support it.

posted by: Jim on 06.04.04 at 11:42 AM [permalink]




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