The preference for managing health through medication—rather than through lifestyle changes—has increased dramatically among Americans in the past decade.
The 1,005 online-survey participants were asked, among many other questions, if they agreed or disagreed with the statement “I would rather take a medication for a health condition than change my lifestyle.”
From 2012 to 2022, the overall number of adults who agreed with this statement shot up by 22 percent—to 38 percent from 16 percent.
The younger the respondent, the more likely he or she was to express that preference. Interest in a medication option went up most notably among those younger than 50, according to the IFIC report.
About half (49 percent) of adults ages 18–34 said they'd choose the medication, a huge increase of 35 percent from 10 years ago.
“The reason for this shift isn’t entirely clear, though increases in prescription medication and dietary-supplement use over the past decade, coupled with a rise in direct-to-consumer medical marketing, may be a major contributor,” the report’s authors wrote.
“We’re inundated in the media in our culture with [the idea of] fixing things quickly,” she said. “With a magic potion, a pill, a pharmaceutical, that can be a magic potion for fixing things quickly.”
The people who seek out her care tend to be older, she told The Epoch Times.
For Many People, ‘Wellness’ Means ’Work’
When asked a hypothetical question about a pill that can solve health problems, many people are tempted to take the “easy” route. Muehsam said she understands this propensity.“We have to do whatever works. I don’t have any judgment there. When we’re feeling discomfort, we want it to be better,” she said.
But many people may opt for this route because they view eating well and exercising as complicated and burdensome. And they may overestimate what medication can do.
Participants’ underestimation of the risks of medical treatment was much greater than their overestimation of the benefits, suggesting that people may not understand the extent to which all medical interventions, including medications, carry risks or potential side effects.
Those who underestimate the risks and overestimate the benefits of medication may be tempted to neglect their health when prescribed a drug.
“Our culture and our Western medical culture are ones that promulgate quick fixes and symptom treatment, rather than getting to the root cause [of illness],” Muehsam said.
The view that wellness takes hard work also contributes to an over reliance on medication, she said.
In the “wellness community,” she said, there’s a “culture of work” around healthy living. We often hear “‘you should eat this, you shouldn’t eat that, you should do this workout or that,’” she said.
But we may be making health too difficult, Muehsam said.
“It’s not about work. It’s about cultivating self-care throughout the day ... If we were able to communicate it to people differently, perhaps it might be more appealing.”
For many people, illness arises from individuals not taking care of themselves. They remain in a stressed state throughout much of their day, eat poor-quality food in a rush, and fail to find time for meaningful social connections and activities that leave them feeling restored and energized. Many people are so overwhelmed by the false urgency of modern life and its cacophony of distractions that they can’t even tell when their body is stressed, when they need time outside, when they need to spend time with friends, or when they need to drink a glass of water.
That loss of basic self-awareness is at the root of many of today’s chronic conditions.
In her book, Muehsam writes of “four primary medicines” that can reduce our reliance on pharmaceuticals: food, lifestyle, relationships and community, and purpose.
And while many people may be looking for a quick fix, others understand that a healthy lifestyle is key to well-being.
Among the respondents to the IFIC survey, 52 percent reported following a diet or eating plan, an increase of 13 percent from 2021.
The desire to feel better and have more energy was the most sought-after benefit (37 percent) of adhering to a diet. Thirty-five percent of dieters in the survey said their primary motivation was to protect their long-term health and prevent future health conditions. This was followed closely by the desire to lose weight (34 percent).
“Clean eating” and “mindful eating” topped the list of popular diet plans, perhaps signaling that people are looking for ways to improve their health without struggling with complicated regimens.
Our lifestyle, including our diet, can be better than most medicines since a rejuvenating and meaningful lifestyle preserves our health and uplifts us while keeping us free of disease. For those who are already ill, lifestyle is an essential element of healing and navigating life, said Muehsam.
Staying healthy is about “mindfully slowing down and being present,” she said. “Your body will tell you what you’re needing.”
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