US ranks as third most depressed nation behind India and China
Expert Dr Lisa Palmer claims pressure to achieve the 'American Dream' is contributing to the US's high depression rate
THE US is the third most depressed nation due to citizens overworking and over-medicating, an expert has claimed.
New World Health Organisation (WHO) rankings show it is beaten only by India and China as the nation containing the most depressed people.
Dr Lisa Palmer, a psychotherapist from the Renew Center in Florida, told that the US had a "mental health crisis".
She said: "There is that pressure in America to achieve the 'American dream'.
"People have a hard time with that – work life balance, peace, skillful thinking, skillful living, a sense of loneliness and isolation is very much prevalent."
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She claimed 15 million Americans suffer from depression - and 60 percent of these were taking anti-depressants.
Dr Palmer said: "If you think about it, we’re really overworked.
"Americans are working an average of 8-9 hours a day.
"It is something that we have to work on as Americans - that when we do have that time, how to best utilise that time for ourselves; to take care of ourselves; to take care of our health; and to prioritise and focus and work on our positive belief systems and things like that and not just turn to quick fixes and medications to help us sleep and to help us cope.
"Giving people education that are better and more effective ways of doing this in relieving emotional symptoms that are toxic for us and keeping us stuck."
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