RE: Max Mogren: Independent Journalist, Livestreamer, Backcountry Skier, and Geoengineering Activist

I think US medicine is ridiculously overpriced and too focused on managing chronic conditions with pharmaceuticals instead of preventing illness by promoting healthy living. We spend ~$10,348 annually per capita on so-called healthcare yet our citizens' suffer from an assortment of avoidable epidemics (obesity, diabetes, autism, mental illness, heart disease, etc).

Also, in the US healthcare is ~17.9% of US GDP which is almost double the global average of ~9%. Despite double the investment as a %, we are certainly not anywhere near 2x "healthier" than comparable nations. It seems like overpriced healthcare is used to prop up our floundering economy at incredible expense to the citizenry.

In University I wrote an honors thesis on AD/HD and that research led me down the rabbit hole of rampant misdiagnosis, overdrugging, and the disturbing trend to medicalize conditions as harmless of daydreamy childhood.

Personally, when I was in medical school I sought help dealing with stress and depression brought on by long days spent under fluorescent lights memorizing seemingly pointless facts. Instead of offering me support in the form of counselling services, the University medical pros prescribed me anti-depressants and sent me on my way. Instead of popping pills I opted to drop out and make life moves that made me happier.