America The Medicated
Is it just me, or have any of you noticed that the last few years have marked the rise of commercials advertising prescription drugs on television? Perhaps I pay more attention to it than I should because I work in that business but I definitely have the impression someone feels I should be taking their drugs!
I get a kick out of these infomercials because apparently there is some requirement for them to disclose the “side effects” of the medication. An advert for a sleeping pill will end with the fella telling me that “side effects may include dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nose bleeds, cramping, nausea, excessive urination, constipation & in rare cases… death.
I’m thinking to myself that I’ll just remain sleepless!
And the part that gets me is that after all the side effects they still get people to take them!!! Any pill with the and or death side effect I am not taking I dont care what its for!! What I have learned being an herbalist is I can do the same thing that perscription does naturally with out all the chemicals or side effects.
Comment by Stephanie — April 10, 2006 @ 7:33 am
I look around some people I know, related to, and am friends with, and people have meds for everything now, and so are their children.
I used to know someone ages ago who predicted that the Russians were going to wait for the time when we were all stoned on illegal drugs and then make their move. Perhaps she was a little wrong, we will be pacified and sedated on LEGAL drugs for her so called invasion.
Comment by Xerraire — April 10, 2006 @ 11:30 am
And now the trend is to take the pills…. and then take more pills to counteract the bad side effects of the original pills. I fear we have a nation of “walking chemistry sets”.
Comment by Night Owl — April 10, 2006 @ 9:22 pm
I agree with you here. It is amazing that these drugs have become so mainstream and so well-used that we are seeing them advertised on our televisions. Twenty years ago you would have never seen anti-depressants advertised like this. What does this mean for us as a society? I feel like we, the American people, are becoming too dependent on prescription medication to cure everything.
Comment by Susan Wagner — April 14, 2006 @ 10:10 am
Well, there lies the issue though Susan. Do the Medications we use today really CURE anything? The Drug industry is so focused on treating symptoms, how long has it really been since they CURED anything? It’s a terrible thought, but it sort of points to symptom treating as being far more profitable than an actual CURE!
Comment by Night Owl — April 15, 2006 @ 8:16 pm