The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is drawing attention to the significant financial investment in the mental health industry and its outcomes during Mental Health Awareness Month. According to a 2023 report by Open Minds Market Intelligence, the U.S. spent $329 billion on behavioral health in 2022, marking a 94% increase since 2012. This spending translates to over $1,564 annually per person in the U.S., the highest globally, yet the country faces lower life expectancy and higher suicide rates compared to other wealthy nations, as noted in a Commonwealth Fund report.
Diane Stein, president of CCHR Florida, criticizes the alliance between the psychiatric and pharmaceutical industries for inflating treatment costs without corresponding improvements in mental health. Stein highlights the controversial use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), describing it as a barbaric practice with severe side effects, including memory loss and brain cell destruction, despite its high cost per treatment. The CCHR urges the public to question the efficacy and ethics of current mental health treatments and explore alternatives.
