Why are so many young people on medication?

[Frank Black]

Why not feel the pain and deal with it. Is being numb the answer?

BELIEVE

[sexy bastard]

i believe it might be in part to the medical community, in which many doctors easily prescribe these drugs, when you go to the doctor and tell them what is wrong, at least in my own experience the doc is ready to write up a prescription, maybe its because now they have drugs to help in which in the old days there werent any and thusly it is believed to help people

<img src=http://members.aol.com/leonj25/myhomepage/sb.jpg?mtbrand=AOL_US>
the epitome of masculinity (yeah right)

[erinmoran]

The thing to keep in mind is the medication and/or drugs making these people feel better are more like a babysitter. They arent curing anything...but making them numb , high, lucid or free spirited, etc


im paranoid, sometimes antisocial, have a slight OCD, probably have ADD, and a little depressed.....and i take nothing for it.....and im happy as can be....weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

<img src="http://members.aol.com/erinmoran01/images/bobafez.jpg"" height=100 width=300>

[HordeKing1]

I must disagree with the above two comments.

More people are taking medications now than previously becasue our understanding of the cause of disease, mental and physical has grown. Medication is not prescribed (or at least shouldn't be prescribed) as a "babysitter." It is prescribed with a specific purpose in mind, whether to control blood sugar, level of dopamine, or seretonin.

Medication works for many different conditions. It's not necessary in all cases, but when correctly prescribed it does wonders as it acts to correct whatever deficiency or surplus is present.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[fatty]

life is supposed to be hard. you shouldn't be happy all the time. we are just pussifying this country, there is no need for all these fucking drugs.

i know some people do need it, don't get me wrong. but i would say over 50% just need to get over it and face life. i have no sympathy for them.

<IMG SRC=http://www.wcnet.org/~mkessen/hobbes4.gif>
Fatty makes us happy!

[HordeKing1]

FATTY - I certainly understand your viewpoint, but medication of the type I'm describing, such as ssri's, target a particular deficit in the brain chemistry. That's why they work.

Pills don't make people happy. They do allow them to progress with their lives unhampered by disease. The happiness comes from within.

Surely you've noticed that there are happy people and sad people. People sad or grumpy by nature will not be kicking up their heals and dancing in the streets, unless it's the kind of medication touted by the Mayor of NYC.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[furie]

Another reason, society also accepts medicating kids today as a standard treatment, where as before, even 20 years ago, someone on medication,especially a child, was thought to be crazy. they were parriahs


<img src="http://tseery.homestead.com/files/Surfer3.jpg" width=300 height=100 >
AIM:furie1335

[Jennitalia]

a lot of health insurance companies would rather have the patient just be put on medication, rather than have to continue paying for sessions. and although medication does help any chemical imbalances in the brain and does help depression, i think some people (not all) are quick to jump into taking medication as a quick fix, rather than working with their doctor to see if they can help themselves on their own.

<IMG SRC="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/bans/jensig.gif">

[fatty]

i think some people (not all) are quick to jump into taking medication as a quick fix, rather than working with their doctor to see if they can help themselves on their own.


this is pretty much what i'm saying. i think they go to the medication way too fast, rather than try other ways first.

hk, would you say more people than need to be are on medication? this is my argument. i agree some people need the help, but not as many as are on it. this is a subject i have given a lot of thought and feel very highly about

<IMG SRC=http://www.wcnet.org/~mkessen/hobbes4.gif>
Fatty makes us happy!

[Jackie Sloan]

...it does seem disturbing...but if it helps than it's better than no help
at all...Horde King, you forgot your new mantra...PORN FOR EVERYONE! WOOHOO!


My chest is burnin'
burns like a furnace
The burnin' keeps me alive

[HordeKing1]

Although it is certainly true that many doctors are quick to turn to medications, when therapy alone would suffice, it is equally true that many people need to be on psychotropic medication to have any hope of functioning normally.

Medication is prescribed because it works. It works b/c we understand more about the complex workings of the brain and thus how to correct illneses caused by a misfiring of nuerons or the like. (Not exactly like that, but I like the imagry).

The current crop of meds is wonderous when compared to those of just 20 or 30 years ago.

It is not surprising that children are the group most likely to be medicated. I attribute this to parents and teachers. Parents look for a quick fix, and refuse to consider that junior's behavior may be either a function of his age, personality or temperment, or that they may simply be shitty parents. Teachers love when "lively" kids get medicated b/c it makes their life easier. The kids don't have a choice in the matter.

I feel that I must point out that at times, medicating kids is necessary, but I strongly believe that as a class, children are overmedicated.

Research on this is ambiguos.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[Se7en]

I think we're a VASTLY overmedicated country, but that's just because we have one hell of an addicitve culture. Everyone's got their poison.

I get depressed probably as much as the next person, I've got social phobias, I've got personal issues.....I don't pop pills for it. I just deal. Now I know that some people NEED medication to help themselves, and that's perfectly fine, but if I may get all snooty, I think that there are a lot of people out there who are just too weak-willed to actually work to deal with their problems (through therapy or ohter means) and just take a handful of pills as a substitute for getting real help.

And I agree that kids are ridiculously overmedicated. Hello! In general, kids are hyper! That doesn't necessarily mean they have ADD.

<img border="0" src="http://Se7enRFNet.homestead.com/files/RFnetSe7en3.jpg" width="300" height="100">

WWFallon - a sig-pic-making jar of Human Clay

"Being a bastard WORKS."
--Spider Jerusalem

[Gaia]

I think Medication is "overly prescribed" as well, but there are many people that need this medication, even if they arent schizophrenic, or have OCD, or anything considered "major". I'm not going to go into this whole debate because there are so many different points I would want to make and wouldnt be able to, but these medications being prescribed for some people are definatley saving thier lives, and letting them live normally.

Another reason, society also accepts medicating kids today as a standard treatment, where as before, even 20 years ago, someone on medication,especially a child, was thought to be crazy. they were parriahs

I wish my parents werent those people, I had the hardest time in school, I couldnt fucking sit still for 10 minutes, I still can't , (theres more to it than that), but I was one of the smartest children in all of my classes, I just couldnt concentrate, I really wish they had done something,I am not blaming ANYTHING on them, but I know if I had some help, I might have been more successful in school. I might have been able to sit there and learn, instead of feeling like there was a rocket ship in my pants....

<img src="http://knocked.homestead.com/files/Shedevil_copy.jpg">
"It's never over, my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder It's never over, all my riches for her smiles when i slept so soft against her"

[HordeKing1]

GAIA - Clearly there are those that absolutely need medication and there are those that clearly do not. Each person has to be diagnosed and treated as an individual not as part of a global approach determining what every child (or adult) should be like.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2