Not that this idea is anything new, but it seems to be getting some new wheels lately — adding lithium to public water supplies can/will/could/should lower suicide rates. Dr. Allan H. Young appears to be the head pusher for happy water to save us all from our supposedly not-happy-enough selves. A short report appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2009. Here’s the abstract:
Lithium is a well-established treatment in psychiatry. The possibility that lithium from the environment may affect mental health has received little study. However, a recent study and an older report both suggest that higher levels of lithium in drinking water are associated with lower suicide rates. These intriguing data should provoke further research, which ultimately may benefit community mental health.
Yippee — curing collective bipolar disorder through government generosity. Perhaps lithium can fight it out with Lipitor to see who makes it through the pipes first.
