MovieChat Forums > American Addict Discussion > Ugh...

Ugh...

posted 10 years ago by kikun302
2 replies | jump to latest

My problem with the documentary was how they make light of those that deal with depression and chronic pain. I agree, there are some nasty *beep* that pharma companies get away with(such as making docs believe that Oxycontin was immune to tolerance/addiction...and how it is A-Ok with those with moderate pain instead of chronic debilitating pain).

Also, people have had chronic pain for centuries. That is true. People also have taken Opiates since the dawn of mankind (almost anyways) for a host of ailments.

We also use to lock up those with chronic depression, anxiety, and other mental illness.

I shut off the documentary the moment they had some "Doctor" draw a parallel between an "angsty teenager who used to just read angsty literature to get over depression" Very enlightening indeed.

Now, I'm not defending big pharma. But to make a TOTAL 180 from overly prescribing to implying we shouldn't have Anti-Depressants or Painkillers at all is just as ludicrous.

[–] baddsisterr 10 years ago

You didn't get it. I have met Dr. Smith, he's all about helping people with pain, not stopping treatments but changing them. We are not being responsible, we need to get through our feelings before we jump to pills is all. It has been no secret we want to feel good now. It is not possible all the time. It is not saying people never need those pills, it is saying if all else fails. We never had them a hundred years ago, but we all want them now. I blame our government, and the FDA. IF they did their jobs with us in mind, we wouldn't be in this predicament. I am a RN. I see this every day. It has to stop. We are not a well society. I am against the big Pharmaceutical companies that offer only pills, and I want to find cures for our problems, not make more with pills. If you need them to survive is one thing. But most don't. I have seen 95 year old patients that never went to the doctor on NO MEDICATION healthy. This is an important factor in our well being. It's just pointing out what is wrong. It is not saying don't treat people, it's saying give then a chance.

[–] BlackDog123 10 years ago

I completely agree and just made a post about this. I shut it off in annoyance when the female doctor discussed how "wrong" it was for her Depression patients to suggest Abilify (anti-psychotic) as part of their treatment. First of all, it is indicated for treatment-resistant MDD or severe MDD with insomnia and/or psychosis. Are her clients suffering with those? Maybe she should check. Secondly, oh no, two seconds of annoyance! A good doctor would use an opportunity like this to explain how medical treatments work, and why they've prescribed what they've prescribed. They would check in with their client to see how they're feeling, explain/reiterate that SSRI's may take up to a month to work, ask how their support system or therapy is going, etc. Not dismiss their patients' concerns.

I'm not even a doctor, I'm working on getting my (non-medical) therapy license at the Master's level. I don't have a vested interest in big pharma either way. But I have seen the amazing things medication has done for my clients - made them feel, not good (certainly not high), but neutral enough to make other life changes that will sustain the remission of their mental illness. Not be so tearful they lose their job. Get the energy to get out of bed and make food for themselves and their kids. The need for mental health treatment and pain management are a matter of degree - we all have some pain and some symptoms, but we don't need to consider medication unless it is significantly impacting our ability to go about our lives for a sustained period of time. The answer is better communication between physician and patient, and better support for non-medical treatment, NOT giving up these meds altogether.

They're coming to get you, Barbara!