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Look at the overall society in America... its no wonder antidepressants and other prescriptions are so common.. When someone gets angry and irritable and can't COPE with anything - who cares, give that person drugs and take away their bat. When someone works 80 hours a week and tries to have a relationship with their kids while trying to pay for the bigger car/house/tv/etc... give that person drugs and let them know they are doing SOOO well..
American society doesn't care about the WHY of anything... put a band aid on it and shove it in a corner... pray it goes away. (I don't know about any other society)
You have to know the why to find a solution..
How many times as an adult have you or known someone that was taking care of children.. those children where fighting over a toy or little importance... instead of getting to the bottom of the situation - that adult took the toy away.... no questions asked... just put a band aid on it... that adult doesnt care that one child was bullying another to get the toy, or that one child was hitting the other, or maybe it was a misunderstanding... the adult/s in this situation don't care... put a band aid on the problem, shove it in a corner... take some pills and pray.
This is of course - in general about 99% and does not apply to ALL those living in American society.
I've never taken them...but I don't go to doctors either.
I think you missed the point of my comment. If people would slow down and smell the roses, so to speak, then they wouldn't feel the need to take various pills. Americans have placed an importance on, like a previous poster said, bigger houses, faster cars, better friends- instead of valuing what is priceless. Time spent with our kids, gardening, taking a Sunday drive, going fishing, going for a walk, reading a book, camping and building a fire, or just doing NOTHING. We go, go, go all the time and wonder why we can't cope.
Good for you for being able to handle things. Really. More people could learn to follow your example. The not seeing a dr thing has me a little worried, but... to each his own.
I think you missed the point of my comment. If people would slow down and smell the roses, so to speak, then they wouldn't feel the need to take various pills. Americans have placed an importance on, like a previous poster said, bigger houses, faster cars, better friends- instead of valuing what is priceless. Time spent with our kids, gardening, taking a Sunday drive, going fishing, going for a walk, reading a book, camping and building a fire, or just doing NOTHING. We go, go, go all the time and wonder why we can't cope.
Good for you for being able to handle things. Really. More people could learn to follow your example. The not seeing a dr thing has me a little worried, but... to each his own.
Going to doctors is a lot more dangerous than many people realize. Doctors often have more than their share of health problems as well.
I think people rely on them too much. We make excuses for why we must take these horrible drugs - our lifestyles, jobs, etc. I refuse to ever depend on any of that crap and feel that so many people sell out because they feel a pill solves everything. Sure, there are those that really must have those drugs but they are few and far between. I don't even think most Americans even know who they really are. These pills are like plastic surgery for the mind.
The problem is with the diagnosis. Where diabetes is cut and dry through testing, doctors often prescribe antidepressant after just speaking with a patient for less than 5 minutes. Im sure medications are great if the person legitimately needs them. In a way passing out antidepressants would be like doctors giving insulin to people that are not diabetic.
If your Doc is prescribing drugs like AD after seeing you for 5 minutes without any other testing you need to find a new Doc.
I'm sure that there are many people on antidepressants who don't need them, but for those who do, they're a godsend. If you are clinically depressed, your brain doesn't work like that of a normal person. Depression can be caused by a chemical imbalance, and antidepressants correct that imbalance. It's a biological disorder like any other except that it affects your mind, not your body. As another poster mentioned upthread, there should be no more stigma attached to taking an antidepressant than there is in taking insulin if you are diabetic.
For most of my life I suffered from minor depression that would flare up into major episodes when I was under stress. Like many people with mental disorders, I thought that it was some sort of moral failing or character weakness on my part and that with positive thinking I could overcome it. When that didn't work, I decided that I wasn't like other people and that something must be wrong with me.
That sort of thinking is common with depressed people. Even years of therapy didn't help me feel better. It was like taking aspirin for cancer. I felt as if I were carrying a heavy weight inside me. I felt withdrawn and sad much of the time and avoided being around people because I suffered from social anxiety.
Finally after a particularly difficult bout of depression that made it difficult for me to eat, sleep or function at work, I went to see a psychiatrist. She prescribed a low dose of fluoxetine (Prozac). I was skeptical because I didn't want to be one of those "Prozac zombies," and I was fearful of side effects like weight gain and hostility that I had heard about.
Much to my surprise, the Prozac worked beautifully for me with almost no side effects. Within a couple of weeks I felt as if that heavy weight had been lifted. The anxiety melted away. I felt more at ease in my own skin and found it easier to talk to people. The only way I can describe the effect is that it was as if I had been given my real personality back and that I could finally be the person I was meant to be.
Another unexpected bonus was that I found coping with my high-stress job in a TV control room much easier. I was able to function much better under pressure and, when things went badly, I didn't beat myself up afterward. Social and family events used to make me so anxious I would dread them, but now I find I can relax and enjoy being with people.
Anyone like me who truly needs antidepressants should not be afraid to try them. It may take a while to find the right medication and dosage because one size does not fit all, but once you get treatment you need, you may find yourself wondering why you allowed yourself to suffer needlessly for so long.
Last edited by Bayarea4; 02-27-2011 at 04:03 AM..
Reason: clarity
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