Our
View: Medicine detrimental to nation
under therapy
For thousands of years people have sought to alleviate the pain of diseases with
the use of medicine. Recently, with the advancements of science and technology,
doctors have been better able to
diagnose diseases with a higher degree of accuracy.
While these advancements have enabled us to save many people from life-threatening
diseases, we have become
a hypochondriacal society.
We are so fearful of any kind of sickness, whether
physical or mental, that our passion for curing has become a hindrance in experiencing
life.
A recent study from Medco Health Solutions has shown that the number of adults
taking prescription drugs for ADHD doubled between 2000 and 2004.
This
is one of many examples of how many Americans abuse prescription drugs in order
to save themselves the stress of dealing with the vicissitudes of life.
By
numbing ourselves to life’s experiences we miss out on what life has to
offer. Through usage of medication to cope with everyday minutiae, many
of life’s most important experiences are dulled.
Consequently, we rob ourselves
of the skills that develop from overcoming serious obstacles.
Medicine is intended to cure people from serious physical and mental diseases,
but when people being to use it frivolously without really considering the consequences,
disaster results.
Excessive use of medication can result in serious physical
side effects including liver disease and even dementia later in life. Over-indulging
in medications now is not worth the risk it creates to being healthy.
In her book, “One Nation Under Therapy,” Christina Hoff Summers exposes
how many drug companies, doctors and therapists have expanded the definitions
of illnesses and requirements for medication in order to make profits.
This reveals a disappointing and troublesome truth in our society today.
Medicine has changed from a desire to cure the sick to yet another money-making
capitalistic enterprise.
No longer are doctors concerned only with healing wounds.
Many now have become tainted by the monetary endeavors in medicine and stretch
their practice
to seek those ends.
Panels of doctors who create the standards for health, like cholesterol levels
and other health requirements, often receive encouragement from drug companies
to create stricter definitions of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle in order
to profit. Profits should not be the primary motivating factor in medicine.
Many people, especially college students, use medication excessively in order
to deal with the stresses that college life presents.
Rather than using
medication to cope with everyday troubles there are several alternatives that
can be equally effective, without the side effects of drugs.
Talking to a friend, taking a walk and meditating are all good alternatives to
little pills. Confiding in drugs to relieve minor inconveniences is detrimental
to the user and, ultimately, society at whole.
We cannot lose the skills necessary
for life required to overcome
obstacles to a drug-crazed world.
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