Why are people becoming so dependent on western medicine?!


Question: I have suffered from depression for maybe about 10 yrs. I am 25 and just as of this week, been told that I should consider taking Prozac. I typed that in here to see who else has had experiences with it---and it seems like A LOT of people are on anti-depressants. Now I know, as far as real mental diseases such as anxiety disorder, bi-polar or schizophrenia or temporary uses for grief, post-pardom depression etc---you may actually need those meds to balance out your sanity---but why are people popping 'happy pills'? I mean, what did people do BEFORE there was medicine? And why are we so quick to medicate instead of focusing on the causes, solutions and remedies of natural-healing? I am determined to FIGHT my depression. Some days I win, more days I lose. But I still fight to see another day. I just refuse to accept or beleive that my key to being 'normal' or 'happy' relies on some chemicals added to my brain. That's enough to send me over the edge in just thinking that---YIKES


Answers: I have suffered from depression for maybe about 10 yrs. I am 25 and just as of this week, been told that I should consider taking Prozac. I typed that in here to see who else has had experiences with it---and it seems like A LOT of people are on anti-depressants. Now I know, as far as real mental diseases such as anxiety disorder, bi-polar or schizophrenia or temporary uses for grief, post-pardom depression etc---you may actually need those meds to balance out your sanity---but why are people popping 'happy pills'? I mean, what did people do BEFORE there was medicine? And why are we so quick to medicate instead of focusing on the causes, solutions and remedies of natural-healing? I am determined to FIGHT my depression. Some days I win, more days I lose. But I still fight to see another day. I just refuse to accept or beleive that my key to being 'normal' or 'happy' relies on some chemicals added to my brain. That's enough to send me over the edge in just thinking that---YIKES

People give so much power to doctors that it's ridiculous. It's as if they are afraid of dying and trust in the doctors to be their salvation. The only doctors I beleive in are naturopaths. They are the only ones I would use for general or family practice as they prescribe diet, exercise, and herbs along with positive mental attitude. Big brother is having an affair with the medical profession and one day we are going to have to deal with the consequences as they struggle for more and more power and money. I wish everyone had your attitude, then there would be better checks and balances in the medical profession, but as it is nobody cares enough about their well being enough to question the status quo.

Big pharma spends many billions in advertising, and an AVERAGE of $10,000 per annum on doctors, in the US, which is 1 of only 2 countries in the world which permit TV advertising for antidepressants, etc., and New Zealand is reviewing its policy! See section 1, in ezy build, below. My standard post follows: There is a quiz about depression, through sections 1, and 2, at ezy build, below: print the result, and take along to your primary mental health care provider. With depression, there is a choice of possible treatment types which needs to be made, and you can decide to use either allopathy, (modern Western medicine) with its reliance on antidepressants and therapy, or alternative treatments, which I advise trying first. This is because antidepressants are known to increase the rates of suicide, homicide, and aberrent behavio(u)r, particularly with young people, and often have unwanted side effects, such as sexual dysfunction, and/or weight gain.

Tests have shown that apart from clinical (major) depression, their results were not significantly superior to those taking a placebo (inert, or "sugar pill"). Antidepressants retain a degree of long term effectiveness for only around 30% of people. There is a saying in the mental health field: "If the only tool you have in your kit is a hammer, you tend to treat everything as a nail". So it goes with doctors, and their prescription pads: handy, quick, and convenient, when trying to manage their large list of patients, and often allocating only several minutes to each.

Most of them are only trained to provide antidepressants and referrals for therapy, with those whose depression is resistant to those treatments being advised to have ElectroConvulsive Therapy, (ECT) with its risk of permanent, partial memory loss. Therapy, while often effective at first, becomes "same old, same old" after a while, for many people.

I now advise people to: (1.) Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily, (certified free of mercury) with an antioxidant, such as an orange, or grapefruit, or their freshly squeezed juice. If vitamin E is used, it should be certified as being 100% from natural sources, or it's synthetic, avoid it. (2.) Work up slowly to 30 - 60 minutes of exercise, daily. (3.) Occupational therapy (keeping busy allows little time for unproductive introspection, and keeps mental activity out of less desirable areas of the brain). (4.) Use daily, one of the relaxation methods in sections 2, 2.c, 2.i, or 11, and/or yoga, Tai Chi, and/or the EFT, in sections 2.q, 2.o, and section 53, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris whichever works best for you. (5.) Initially, at least, some form of counselling, preferably either Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavio(u)ral Therapy. (6.) As options, if desired, either a known, effective herbal remedy, such as St. John's wort, or a supplement, such as SAMe, or Inositol (from vitamin and health food stores, some supermarkets, or mail order: view section 55).

If the amount of daylight you have been exposed to recently has reduced, perhaps due to the change of seasons, see Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) in section 2, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris and, instead of taking around 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily; replace 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements for the winter months only! (or, as probably a better alternative to the 2 cod liver oil supplements: 1 teaspoonful of cod liver oil, with a little butter, to ensure its use; I take mine on sourdough rye bread, or toast, covered with fishpaste, and pepper, to mask the strong taste). Optimal levels are 50 - 55 ng/ml (115 - 125 nmol / L). It should be above 32 ng/ml.

Don't use medications and supplements together, without medical advice, except for Omega 3, which is safe, anytime. Omega 3 fish oil supplements: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid (omega 3) ----360 mg.DHA (docosahexaenoic acid (omega 3)-----240 mg
Take enough supplements to attain, or exceed the levels (no possibility of overdose) of those every day, with an orange, or the juice of a freshly squeezed orange, grapefruit, or other antioxidant.
(make sure the epa is higher then the dha) important for adults... kids need the opposite levels: more dha than epa, but all are beneficial, if you can't achieve the recommended proportions.

They should be certified as being free of mercury, and if containing vitamin E, it should be shown as from a natural source; otherwise it is synthetic: avoid it! Consider having your doctor test your vitamin D levels, (60% of depressed people have low vitamin D levels!) using the 25 Hydroxyvitamin D test. Those people who receive adequate exposure to sunlight, daily, won't need the vitamin D from cod liver oil, but many people, particularly those in latitudes far from the equator, find this difficult to achieve.

If the above is insufficient for you, after several months, (unlikely) try one of the alternatives, such as the neurofeedback, magnetic, or low current electrical stimulation, or EMDR therapy, (see sections 33 - 34) keeping ECT back, as a last resort.

I generally support western medicine. But you must be proactive in its use. consider the doctor to be the expert adviser for you, but you must always be in charge.

I believe recent research has shown that some pills are no better then a placebo. Though I cannot remember which pills the research referred to.

I personally have never liked the idea of using drugs to deal with depression, as it seems to go around the real problem that was causing the depression in the first place.

There is also research showing that exercise, and a healthy diet can improve mental health. But make sure to locate the source of your depression, and deal with it.

This may take counseling. Having somebody to talk to is always a good thing. On the same note, make sure your friends are conductive to good health. There are some people who have a knack at feeding that depression, and too often they don't even know they are doing it.

As crazy as this sounds, try this:

Tonight when you go to bed, as you lay there, before going to sleep, remember 5 positive events from your past, and 5 negative things from your past. Its best to start with small events of low importance.

Now while doing this, try to remember the negative events from an outside point of view. In other words see the event happening to yourself as if you are another person. (If you have trouble with visualizing, just pretend you are imagining it.)

Then with the positive events, try to see it from your own eyes, fully experiencing the event.

After about a week, your brain gets the idea, and this becomes habit. You will be surprised at how this helps. You can still remember the negative events in your life, but seeing it from an outsiders point of view takes the sting out of it.

Another thing to try, when you have some time, is to imagine seeing yourself through the eyes of somebody who loves or appreciates you, and trying to feel the emotions they feel about you. (Family member, loved one, or close friend.) Spend some time trying to really experience this, and make it as real as possible.

I mention these because they really helped me out, and actually are real simple. If you do them right, you will be amazed at how they help. I just hope I explained it well enough.

Regardless, make sure you do not try to deal with this on your own. Friends and loved ones can be of great help.

I couldn't agree with you more. we are too quick to take meds for everything. although I should say that sometimes it does help some people though. and they are able to function. but i think you are right we should focus on the causes in the first place. yes chemical imbalances have very much to do with depression, anxiety etc. but to get the brain back in balance one doesn't necessarily need medication to do that. Just the fact that you have doubts about the med approach and a strong desire to overcome your depression tells me you have it within you to achieve. consider an exercise like yoga, or meditation. as well as a therapist with a cognitive behavioral approach. I know you can do this! only if more people could be this individually minded!





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