The number two cause of death in America is prescription drugs. It is an epidemic that has stripped the most successful people of their riches and dragged the homeless man even lower. Society has a simple mindset when looking at problems. People say, “Well, if the druggies stopped taking the pills they wouldn’t overdose and die.” While this may ring true to you, this view is overly simplistic and fails to mention the doctors role.
Should Doctors be responsible for the medication they prescribe?
The doctors are part of the scheme. Psychiatrists and M.D.’s feel like they aren’t doing their job if you do not leave with multiple scripts on avisit. The doctors need to educate the patient that the hard way is usually the best way in the long run.
I will use an anxiety disorder as an example. If you feel anxious, the Dr. might suggest taking a benzodiazepine (Xanax or Clonazepam) for treatment of the problem. The patient leaves the office thinking they have the solution and the Dr. usually will not get the person complaining about the cost of the visit or even they didn’t get the help they think they needed complaining about the cost of the visit and they won’t usually. If the Dr. talks about the core issues and what is causing the anxiety or perhaps spirituality then they aren’t doing their job either.
The patient goes home and takes the pill which does provide temporary relief. “Yes,” they think to themselves, “my problem has been solved!” What the patient does not understand usually is that if they keep taking that drug then they will be physically addicted to it and then they need the drug to function(What a nice business model!). Eventually they will have to increase the dose to keep the desired effect and side effects may or may not increase as a result.
Overall, American society and culture has become much more accepting of drugs to treat our ailments. We neglect spirituality and other methods in favor of the short and quick way of fixing ourselves. Sometimes the best answer is “No, you don’t need a pill. How about you try to exercise, get proper sleep and eat as healthy a diet as you can.” Most people would object to that, even though I believe it is the best advice.
**Although I do not personally know anyone, I do hear there are people whose lives have made a dramatic improvement from the use of medications: anti-depression, anxiety and pain killers. That is why we should allow them in our society. However, be very careful about the Dr.’s recommendation. I mean how do we put so much trust in an individual who only sees us a couple times a year and really doesn’t get to know us as individuals? Because they went to some extra schooling? Most M.D.’s I know are far too busy with their job and seeing as many patients as they can. The doctors need to be held accountable and some sort of advanced rating system should be used. The doctor that has the happiest patients on the least amount of medication is what I deem a success.
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