Here in America, we put a lot of effort into making life effortless. We check Mapquest for the shortest and easiest route; we stop by McDonald's for the fastest and cheapest meal; and we swipe our credit cards so we never have to take the time to write a check or wait for change. These seemingly superficial choices are all driven by our desire for instant gratification and our growing intolerance for stress.
[...] The improper treatment of patients that are genuinely depressed or the misdiagnosis of patients that are suffering from a condition other than depression can have disastrous results. Dr. Olfson's study on increased anti-depression use also revealed another questionable trend; a majority of new patients taking antidepressants received their prescriptions from primary care physicians and were receiving no other form of mental health care (Moon, 3). In his book, “Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry Medicated a Nation,” Charles Barber warns of a similar phenomenon. [...]
[...] The American population is growing intolerant to the ups and downs of everyday life; it would seem that many members of the general public want to be medicated. To change the overmedication trend, we may have to change more far-reaching opinions than the way society views drugs; we may have to change the way we view ourselves. Works Cited Barber, Charles. “Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry Medicated a Nation.” New York: Random House Kendall, Joshua. "Talking Back to Prozac." The Boston Globe 1 Feb HighBeam Research Nov < http:> Levitas, Andrew; Anne DesNoyers Hurley. [...]
[...] Relman of the Harvard Medical School echoed Healy's concerns in a 2003 essay. In the following passage, Relman even suggests that the persistence of the drug companies is affecting not only the judgment of patients but also of their doctors: Incessant advertising, reinforced by frequent visits from drug company representatives, persuades some physicians to prescribe too many expensive new drugs (Relman, 1). In too many cases, the patients are also pushing their doctors to prescribe these popular drugs. The commercialization of drugs has made conditions like depression seem more accessible than ever before. [...]
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