As I understand it, our lowered life expectancy is due to several factors, as mentioned in previous posts. We're more likely than the average person to commit suicide; we are prone to stress and thus more likely to suffer cardiogenic illnesses such as congestive heart failure and heart attacks; and we are more likely to have metabolic syndrome, which predisposes us to diabetes.....and we all know what diabetes can do to a person.

Our meds also can be toxic to our livers and kidneys AND contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome/diabetes. There is a shortage of qualified psychiatrists---in my area alone, we have 4 for a population of well over 100,000 people. That means unless you're acutely ill, you can't get in to see one of them for an average of six months. On top of all that is the fact that many go untreated because they are without jobs and health insurance, and yet not sick enough to be eligible for disability and Medicare/Medicaid. Add all these factors together and it's no wonder we're statistically at higher risk of premature death than the general population.