What is your opinion on taking prescription drugs? Is this opinion the same when it comes to physical illness vs. mental illness? Do you take any prescription drugs? Do you take vitamins? How often? Do you partake in "natural" cures like herbs and basic home remedies? This can even include foods you consciously eat to provide you with a certain vitamin or prevent a particular illness. Would you prefer one method over another? (prescription vs. natural) Answer as many or as few of these questions as you choose.
Prescription meds: Sometimes they're necessary for both physical and mental illness, but not always. Be sensible. I take testosterone supplements. Vitamins: I take vitamin B12 occasionally. For the most part, I think you should have a diet capable of supplying you with all necessary vitamins. Natural cures: I am, of course, open to the possibility (and reality) that some herbs and such have medicinal properties. I drink herb teas a lot, but I wouldn't use them in place of actual medicine. But hey, if they make me healthier, then great. As I said, I think you just need to be sensible about things. There are some situations in which only one is appropriate.
The over-prescription of medicine is a pretty serious problem almost everywhere, so it's best to reserve it until you actually need it (but always go to get it when you do). Otherwise, simply eating healthily and making sure your nutrition is balanced are important aspects of staying well that can't be replaced by any medicine. Tisanes and taking herbs chosen to combat specific issues are fine as long as you don't avoid proper medicine when need be. If rosemary does away with your headache, why take paracetamol? But don't try to cure TB without a doctor's help. :lol:
Definitely there's a balance. Personally I rely on my diet to keep my immune system strong and to be preventative against some major personal health risks (cancer, high cholestorol, and low blood pressure all run in my family). If I start feeling like I'm getting sick, like a cold or something, I adjust my diet for bit until I feel better. I am a supporter of natural and home remedies! I will always try those first if I get sick or have a minor infection (amber works wonders on infections because it secretes iodine btw). I hate pharmacuticals. But, they are necessary sometimes. Technically I should've been on sleeping meds and anti-anxiety meds for years, but I've looked into them and weighed that against my issues and how I handle them and decided they aren't for me. Also I think in a lot of cases vitamins are kinda bs (i.e.: your body can't actually process 150% of your daily recommended vitamin C all at once). I stopped taking asa and codine years ago too. I carry peppermint oil for that.
Whenever possible, use non-pharmacological therapy and lifestyle changes, with or without drugs, to treat a disease effectively. Obviously, there are exceptions to this. Acute bacterial infections require antibiotics. But with a disease state like GERD, there are so many lifestyle changes that you can make while using OTC drugs, e.g. avoid eating before going to sleep, avoid spicy and fatty foods, smoking cessation. As for herbal products, the evidence for their effectiveness is generally anecdotal in nature, which is not as reliable as evidence from clinical trials for prescription drugs. That is mainly why I would be hesitant to recommend them. Having said that, prescription drugs can be pricy without insurance, and some folks can't tolerate them due to side effects. And so they may resort to herbal products. As long as the herbal product is safe and effective for that patient, then I would encourage him/her to continue taking it.
the purpose of pecsription drugs is to make people's medical conditions better. Mental illnesses are actual illnesses and characterizing them as if they aren't "as real" as physical illness is pretty offensive. a lot. a handful of D vitamins and B vitamins due to defiencies No because that is operating on the assumption that because something is natural it is inherently better. Nope
It is what it is. Some people take them, me included, sometimes. If I have a headache, I might grab some Advil. If I have a stomach ache, I may grab the Tums. But you probably want to know, about things, only a doctor can prescribe. When it comes to physical conditions, these can work, but some have potential side effects. As for mental issues. It appears to work for some, and others not so much. When I was provided medication for ADHD, it did absolutely nothing -- but allow me a crutch, to use, as an excuse for my behavior. I could just blame it on the medication. I'm not going to knock somebody else, for what they do. That's their call, but for me, I've progressed better, mentally, without prescription drugs. Not anymore. Other than what I eat, and maybe some orange juice, no, not really. Marijuana. I know, it sounds silly, but I consider it a natural cure of some sort. Personally, not really. It would depend, on what my situation was, as to what method I might prefer.
Well, I make my living developing drugs for rare "orphan" diseases. A lot of these medications can save or prolong lives, or the cost of expensive care and hospitalization. I am proud of the work that I do. On the other hand, I am keenly aware of the skewed incentives and poor controls that make prescription medications potentially overused. Yes indeed, controlled and randomized clinical trials are the gold standard for assessing safety and efficacy, but even these trials, as many as 10%, when poorly designed or executed can lead to incorrect conclusions. Recent studies have shown that the use of most vitamins has no discernible effect on longevity, except maybe Vitamin D. I don't take vitamins and get my vitamin D from fish. I actually like the science behind some "medicinal" herbs, turmeric being quite interesting for its iron-chelating properties. Iron has been shown to promote the growth of harmful bacteria, among other properties. So, to your question as to whether I prefer one method or another, all I can say is that we are living longer in large part because of antibiotics, vaccines and prescription meds that address real previously unmet needs. When I was 12 years old, I contracted both typhoid and hepatitis A while living in Mexico. Another kid who attended my school at the time died of typhoid. Now, there are vaccines for both of these conditions. I would consider that a distinct improvement.
I think some Doctors are too quick to medicate and too slow to explore alternatives, like talking therapy for people with mental health problems.
I don't really trust a lot of alternative medications to be honest- I mean, I don't doubt there are herbs that have medical properties, things like colonics and water treatments basically do jackshit and I find it deplorable that a lot of these alternative medicine gurus often target patients with chronic diseases (especially cancer). I worked for a woman one time who claimed an all fruit diet and colonics could cure cancer and it made me sick having to write her book, knowing so many people would fall prey to that. But medications? They work for a reason. So long as they're controlled and a patient isn't overmedicated, why worry about laboratory and peer reviewed medication? I take a daily preventative pill, migraine medication if needed, and etc. Keep the colonics for constipation and the holistic water for dehydration.
Without antidepressant medication I would have ended my life in 2012. Without a fair few prescription medications my sister would be dead after brain surgery. Eat well, stay healthy, but I'm not a believer in homeopathy or anything like that.
I have a friend who is on anti depressants a side effect of which is they make her depression worse, what bright spark dreamt that one up? I take nothing beyond the odd painkiller myself.
I take a muscle relaxant as needed. Once, maybe twice a week, max. I should also be taking fish oil, Vit D., and calcium-magnesium supplements daily, but I always forget. Fish oil for its anti-inflammatory properties, D because I don't get any sun, and cal-mag for muscle cramps--reccomended by my doctor.
As a transitioning transgender person I take hormones and they're literally a life saver. I can't say I know much about the issue at large, but I'd definitely be lost without them.
I believe in prescription meds for most things, even mental health issues. I agree that some kids have adhd. my nieces and nephew definitely have it, and are on medication for it. That said I don't believe ADHD is as common as doctors seem to think it is. The fact is that drugs used to treat ADHD will improve concentration in normal people. I think we are greatly over medicating our kids. Additionally, if I were ever in a position where I had to choose between medications for anything, and food, I would choose food every time. Regardless of what the medication is for.
I believe that eating well in general is a natural way to prevent many, many illnesses. I don't believe that once you have acquired a (serious) illness that natural remedies will usually work well. I think most are snail oil and only help so much as a placebo effect. However, there is some natural remedies that will help beyond placebo, but not enough to really cure a disease. I think medications are helpful and in some cases necessary. I also feel that doctors over prescribe them a bit to clear their conscience and cover themselves legally. Well, its obvious they are over prescribed from the antibiotic resistance problems going on. But yea, doctors are afraid to tell a patient "oh you don't need medicine yet lets wait a bit" and if the patient dies they may get in trouble so they prescribe them anyways.
I think medications have a very important duty, when prescribed correctly and taken correctly. I feel relatively the same about physical/mental illness, but mental illness is one of those types of conditions where you really need medications. My prescription meds are for my allergies + asthma. Some aren't used all the time, but it's nice having them. I take a daily multi-vitamin, along with Vitamin A, and Magnesium. One of the things that I do is take a supplement - Magnesium. It was "prescribed" to me by a doctor for my migraines. Oh my gosh...it has helped tremendously! Holy heavens! I would prefer to take natural supplements, but it depends on what kind of scenario was going on. For my migraines, I prefer this natural method. When I'm sick, though, I prefer antibiotics because I am very impatient. One thing I have to add is that there is a healthy limit to go to. While we try our best, most of us are not prescribers. We do not know everything. We do not know how to put everything together in the best way. Please do education and please follow guidelines set forth to you by someone who is in healthcare.
I came home to this after a meeting with my psychiatrist to begin to discontinue to anti-depressants I've been on for the past four years. I believe that to trust entirely in herbal remedies would be a little ignorant and a waste of the resources available to us with modern medicine, though I do not doubt their benefit. With any kind of sickness or injury, be it physical or psychological, pharmaceutical drugs can play a definitive role in the healing process. With depression there are often absent or over-present chemicals in the brain that can trigger mood swings and feelings of suicidality, and as it runs in my family it was recommended that I take the pills in order to feel stable, which helps enormously.
