New NPG Forum Paper Sees Overpopulation as the Major Cause of Many Health Issues

Analysis Finds Diseases of Civilization Linked to Population Density

Negative Population Growth, Inc. (NPG) has announced the release of a new research paper that observes the link between overpopulation and health problems. In the paper, titled Population Density Stress is Killing Us Now!, author Greeley Miklashek, MD, focuses his lens on the impact human overpopulation is having on our health. He states: “However you want to measure it, we are massively overpopulated and destroying the very earth we so depend on. And we are running out of time to change course and do a 180. All the biological markers are there for us to see, if we can only find the courage to look the truth in the eyes and take responsibility for changing the otherwise dismal course of history for our offspring and Mother Earth and all Her creatures great and small.”

Miklashek lays the preliminary ground work for his argument by saying: “Over the last half of the 20th century, other medical epidemiologists (disease statisticians) and researchers were attempting to find the causes of our rapidly rising load of the diseases of civilization, often using experimental animal models. Many of them were finding similar strong correlations between high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and heart disease, stroke, cancer, ulcers, kidney disease, immune deficiency…addictive behaviors, anxious and depressive behaviors, etc., and correlations with overpopulation, population density stress.”

He continues to discuss the effects of overpopulation and the resulting stress on humans, saying: “Numerous conscious and unconscious environmental stressors (noise, movement, strange faces, competitions on the highways, myriad visual stimuli, stressful media, disrupted families, economic and other worries, etc., etc.) in our daily lives trigger our often unconscious stress response and elevate cortisol levels, as well as other aspects of our over-activated stress response, including over-activation of our sympathetic nervous system. This over-activated stress response results in our feelings and physical symptoms of ‘anxiety’ and eventually ‘depression.’”

After assessing the data, Miklashek states: “…our chronically over-active stress response, due to population density stress, is quite likely responsible for our epidemics of anxiety and depression, which often spill over into the other epidemic health problems including suicide, alcoholism, and addiction, newly named ‘the diseases of despair.’”

He concludes his thoughts, saying: “The biological evidence of human overpopulation generating population density stress and naturally turning down or even off human reproduction is piling up.” Adding, “The alternative to this voluntary human population reduction movement is increasing disease, increasing ever more costly medical interventions, decreasing quality of life, and misery, as well as continued environmental exhaustion, the 6th Extinction, and endless resource wars.”

Executive Vice President Craig Lewis commended Dr. Miklashek on his work by stating: “We are grateful to Dr. Miklashek for cooperating with NPG to allow us to deliver a different and unique perspective on a complex issue.”

Founded in 1972, NPG is a national nonprofit membership organization dedicated to educating the American public and political leaders regarding the damaging effects of population growth. We believe that our nation is already vastly overpopulated in terms of the long-range carrying capacity of its resources and environment. NPG advocates the adoption of its Proposed National Population Policy, with the goal of eventually stabilizing U.S. population at a sustainable level – far lower than today’s. We do not simply identify the problems – we propose solutions. For more information, visit our website at http://www.NPG.org, follow us on Facebook @NegativePopulationGrowth or follow us on Twitter @npg_org.

DreamHost

Negative Population Growth

…our chronically over-active stress response, due to population density stress, is quite likely responsible for our epidemics of anxiety and depression…