ONE IN THREE ADULTS NEEDS DRUGS TO COPE

The Australia Institute says its analysis of data from the Bureau of
Statistics shows nearly a third of Australian adults use medications and
other substances including alcohol and illegal drugs to cope with
psychological distress.

The finding is based on unpublished data collected for the National Health
Survey released late last year.

The Institute asked the ABS to provide data on the use of medications,
vitamin and mineral supplements and natural products to improve mental
wellbeing.

To get a fuller picture, the Institute then asked for data on excessive
alcohol use, which when coupled with the number of Australians dependent on
illegal drugs took the total to over 30 per cent.

The Institute's Dr Clive Hamilton says it is a worrying trend.

"We're supposed to be happy, we're supposed to be living the good life,
we're a very wealthy nation," he said.

"[But we have a] huge epidemic of psychological distress in Australia."