Being attacked, belittled and debated about opinions (issues, people)
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There is a lot of adult bullying that goes on, on the internet; people feel powerful behind a computer screen and feel they can say whatever they want. There also people who think that others aren't allowed to have an opinion that is different from their own. And if someone has a different opinion, then it "offends" them so they go on the attack.
If they disagree with alternative healthcare, they are free to ignore and move on.
I personally have been harmed by traditional medicine in many ways and so I am open to alternative therapies. I see chiropractors and acupuncturists and have for years. Without chiropractic care all these years I would be in a wheelchair by now, but I can walk and do normal things - thanks to my chiropractors.
I saw a dentist 15 years ago who insisted on pulling four of my teeth. He claimed they were "rotting out". I refused and I still have those teeth and have no problems with them. He just wanted money. It's that simple. Even if chiropractors are (worst case scenario) "quacks" at least they don't do unnecessary cutting and surgery on people. Yes, there is some quackery within alternative health circles, I will admit that right off the bat. But the harm that can be done from bad doctors is often worse.
Same thing happened to me. So glad I said no. He told me they were dead, nerves were dead, and I better do it right away before they got infected and rotted away from decay. I went with my gut that there was nothing wrong with them, as I was not having any problems at all there and was in the office for something completely unrelated. Was at a dentist recently and both teeth are fine, not even a cavity there.
Now if I say that in a forum, I will be rushed at and yelled at and told I am just lucky. But if I say that I went with what the dentist said and had the teeth pulled, I'd be told I did the smart thing.
Alternative medicine has its place and many of the cures have come from it, however to not follow up on them with hard science and test them with studies makes them suspect and unreliable. A ethical practictioner of alternative medicine should insist on scientific studies by unbiased scientists to confirm the ideas. Do zinc lozenges really help get rid of a sore throat ? Well, Jane says they do and Jane knows her stuff. Not good enough. Sorry.
Alternative medicine has its place and many of the cures have come from it, however to not follow up on them with hard science and test them with studies makes them suspect and unreliable. A ethical practictioner of alternative medicine should insist on scientific studies by unbiased scientists to confirm the ideas. Do zinc lozenges really help get rid of a sore throat ? Well, Jane says they do and Jane knows her stuff. Not good enough. Sorry.
No one will ever test them because there is no money to be made. You can't patent natural substances (yet, anyway). Without a patent, you can;t be the sole maker/distributor of the drug and the only company profiting off of it.
Since you can't patent a natural substance, there will never be any "scientific" proof that it "works" because if supplement A works better than drug B and costs 75% less, with no doctor visit expense ... what would most people do? Universities are funded by pharma, not supplement makers. And since supplement makers are profitable without the research, they have no incentive to test them either.
Which is why anecdotal information is important. Nurses use anecdotal information all the time with patients.
And this goes along with understanding the medical/pharmaceutical industry, as well as the research industry. If a cure for disease P is found, labs all over the country will shut down. But if various drugs are created that deal with 4 of the 5 symptoms, or 2 of the 5 symptoms, they all can be sold in the market and the researchers can still look for more "cures" without losing their jobs.
People REALLY need to look into how the medical industry is structured. Most have no idea at all how it works.
No one will ever test them because there is no money to be made. You can't patent natural substances (yet, anyway). Without a patent, you can;t be the sole maker/distributor of the drug and the only company profiting off of it.
Since you can't patent a natural substance, there will never be any "scientific" proof that it "works" because if supplement A works better than drug B and costs 75% less, with no doctor visit expense ... what would most people do? Universities are funded by pharma, not supplement makers. And since supplement makers are profitable without the research, they have no incentive to test them either.
Which is why anecdotal information is important. Nurses use anecdotal information all the time with patients.
And this goes along with understanding the medical/pharmaceutical industry, as well as the research industry. If a cure for disease P is found, labs all over the country will shut down. But if various drugs are created that deal with 4 of the 5 symptoms, or 2 of the 5 symptoms, they all can be sold in the market and the researchers can still look for more "cures" without losing their jobs.
People REALLY need to look into how the medical industry is structured. Most have no idea at all how it works.
True that natural substances cannot be patented. However, to say there's no money in testing them is ridiculous. Supplements were, in 2012, a 32 BILLION dollar industry. That's quite a bit of money. If the supplement companies were to band together to test the efficacy of their products and they were found to be efficacious, the industry and the money they make would sky rocket.
They haven't done so because there's also money to be lost. If X supplement is proven to do nothing, why would anyone buy it? I'm suspicious of any industry who declines to support the evidence that their products work and instead relies on the anecdotal evidence, supposition and opinion of it's customers to drive sales. If supplements are really the panacea the companies and advocates say they are, they should be willing to put their money where their mouths are and fund studies to prove their claims.
Going a little off topic, I can't tell the difference. I'm in my mid twenties, so I haven't seen as much as you. I was waiting for people to mature most of my life. I was told it would happen in middle school, then high school, then college, then... I have just given up on this, I don't think the majority of people mature. That would explain the amount of issues we have in the world.
I think a lot of this has to do with the rise of technology. Not to say when I was a kid, there was not bullying. There was, and always will be, in my humble opinion. But people did seem to grow out of it (at least to one's face) and in that case it would simply turn to gossip...talking behind one's back amongst others.
Conclusion: Humans are bullies, in one form or another. But tech has made it easier to spread, and allowed people to hide behind anonymity, and pretty much say anything they please, depending on the platform that they choose.
On the other hand, there is nothing better than a well argued debate. It expands critical thinking and an
open minded person is enlightened by such discourse. But (as since the beginning of human evolution) you will always find humans who can't distinguish between debate and bullying.
With a debate, people can be swayed by another's thoughts or expressions, and alternative discussion is welcomed. Belittling another is not. A bully simply believes their own indoctrination and refuses to give an inch. Their mind is made up, and can no longer grow. Thank goodness I grew up when debate class was still a required class/credits...
And of course, you will always have gossips. Now that the internet allows them secrecy, they can spew vomitous remarks with no recourse. It seems as human decency has flown right out the window. Parents, take note. Teach your children wisely and morally.
To OP: I read many of your posts in Alternative. Many I find quite informing. I have looked up and spent many hours researching several of the alternatives you mention. Combined with straight forward medicine, it is an excellent read. Thanks.
Last edited by TerraDown; 11-15-2016 at 10:37 AM..
You are telling people who have cancer or other terminal diseases that the methods they have chosen to try to keep from dying aren't going to work.
So, if you aren't in the Alternative forum, just. shut. up. Nobody wants to hear your "advice" when they are already paying for the treatment they are receiving.
Amen. My BIL died of cancer last year. I cannot tell you how it felt to have a few people, when hearing of his death, say things like "I wish he had talked to me. I know what supplements to take to cure cancer". We were grieving and having someone say that was not what we needed to hear. We needed kindness and support and found judgment and hubris instead. If you choice to dose yourself with Peruvian tree bark to cure your cancer go right ahead, but keep it to yourself.
You can start a Get Your Flu Vaccine NOW!! thread with no issues.
Start a Make Your Immune System Healthy! No Flu Shot Needed!! thread and get it taken down IMMEDIATELY.
Promoting pharma drugs is 100% acceptable on these boards. Critiquing pharma drugs is a no no.
Promoting supplements is also a no no.
This applies across the forums, doesn't matter where the threads/comments are posted.
There is a definite and clear bias re the mods in discussing information. I don't bother with the health forums anymore because the only support is for pharma.
This is all so True...I've come to "find out". Prevention and keeping healthy is the Main Goal in my life at this last quarter. I'm fascinated on how much alternatives and remedies can help WITHOUT side effects. I've had those and loved ones too.
Again, I came from a support forum that was operated by a supplement company and their main illnesses were FM/CFS...I was there for over 6 yrs...then wanted to wander to other areas to share all that I learned.
I understand things were a lot worse some yrs back re: talking about alternatives etc. Could be so much supported by pharma.
Science is too hard. It's much easier to make elixers and tonics and have anecdotal evidence than it is to perform clinical trials and understand hypotheses and statistics. If the naturalists put the same effort into proving their cures as scientists do it would be much more compelling. Plus Horses Love It !!!
Horses Love DMSO too and I use it on my arthritic joints and have been for years. It keeps me walking. And NO side effects. There are no cures for arthritis only management. And even with surgeries and replacements people still have Problems. I trusted a surgeon with my arthritic hip and I'm worse off in many ways than before.
I also use Essential Oils like oregano and myrrh and rosemary on my joints and these help too...to keep me walking.
A pharma drug years ago gave me an ulcer and trip to ER. So.....
And I know vaccines have saved a lot of epidemics in the world. But for me, no vaccines as I work to keep my immune system strong.
On remedies the GRAPE is a miracle food for immune system and I posted from day 1 about grape seed extract and was able to get rid of all drugs for allergies.
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