(Tom: This is an article well worth reading before you reach for the pill bottle.)
Every day, millions of Americans reach for medications they believe are harmless – a Tylenol for a headache, Benadryl for allergies, Prilosec for heartburn. What they don’t know is that with each dose, they may be systematically dismantling the neurobiological substrate that make us human.
Common over-the-counter and prescription medications that millions take daily are silently rewiring our brains, with acetaminophen (Tylenol) measurably blunting empathy¹, antihistamines increasing dementia risk by 54%², and proton pump inhibitors doubling depression rates³ – yet most users and even many doctors remain unaware of these profound neurological effects. Research involving millions of patients reveals that 10% of dementia cases may be directly attributable to anticholinergic medications like Benadryl⁴, while 52 million Americans taking weekly acetaminophen experience measurable reductions in their ability to feel others’ pain⁵. These findings expose a massive gap between public perception of medication safety and the mounting scientific evidence of harm, particularly as 54% of elderly Americans now take four or more medications simultaneously (aka poly-pharmacy)⁶, creating dangerous cumulative effects on brain function. The magnitude of this hidden epidemic is staggering: medications marketed as harmless are fundamentally altering how we think, feel, and connect with others.
Finish reading: https://open.substack.com/pub/sayerji/p/the-mind-thieves-how-6-common-medications