28 Dangerous Trends Worrying Healthcare Workers

Key Points:

• Kratom, an unregulated herbal stimulant used as an alternative for pain and mental health treatment, is causing increased hospitalizations due to addiction, liver damage, seizures, and overdose; the DEA is seeking to classify some kratom substances alongside heroin.
• There is a rise in dangerous self-treatment trends including bone smashing to alter jawlines, misuse of erection medications among young people, and unregulated mail-order hormone therapies linked to increased breast cancer risk.
• Mental health concerns are growing, with burnout, screen overuse contributing to myopia and anxiety, and widespread self-diagnosis of autism and ADHD often leading to misdiagnosis and refusal of professional testing.
• Popular but risky health practices include colon cleansing, raw milk consumption leading to foodborne illnesses, drinking urine as a supposed cure, and unmonitored use of herbal supplements that can cause harmful drug interactions.
• Healthcare professionals report increased patient reliance on emergency services for non-critical issues, parental reluctance to manage minor health concerns, and a worrying trend of inadequate medical evaluations by some providers leading to improper treatments.