Take 2 and Call Me in the Morning

Sometimes, when I feel I could completely lose my ability to become depressed, I pay attention.  This is a sure cure and the only side effect is the ability to understand why people occasionally flip out and go on a killing spree, or listen to Justin Bieber.  Sometimes it seems the only way to cope with the insanity we're faced with is to do something vile and reprehensible.   For the Bieber fans, relax, he's no worse than the other teen idols I've watched rise and fall in my lifetime.

Paying attention does have a few risks.  In rare cases, people grow dependent on paying attention and often fail to reply to text messages; while performing open heart surgery, or driving through heavy traffic.  Paying attention could also result in; Realizing your _____(fill in the blank) is having an affair with their _____, Noticing _____ is stealing from _____, or Drug companies aren't nearly as interested in making us healthy as they are in making a profit.  This may result in disillusionment or pop music.

Forty years ago a child that had trouble paying attention was given frequent doses of a "Swat on the Behind" ™ until they learned to pay attention.  While there were no serious side effects, there was also no real market for the product, since any parent with a hand, belt or peach switch could make, prescribe and administer their own medicine.  Fortunately, a solution was found and Ritalin, along with several other prescription medicines were introduced to halt the damage being caused to peach trees everywhere.  No longer did parents have to pay attention and teach their children to pay attention, instead they could focus on the important decisions, like Beta or VHS.

Before anyone starts a killing spree with me at the top of the list, I understand that for some children, their difficulties require medication.  However, since drug companies rely upon doctors to prescribe their medicine, and drug companies spend a great deal of money, convincing doctors to push their products, in ways that would be illegal if a multibillion dollar annual industry wasn't involved, many of these drugs are prescribed when not necessary.

Please don't feel that I'm singling out children or one classification of drugs.  These drugs were just the first ones I became aware of, many years ago when I happened to be in a paying attention phase.  The problem is that with the success of Ritalin, Viagra, and a host of other medicines, the pharmaceutical industry is identifying more and more problems that can be fixed by one simple pill (taken 3 times a day for the rest of your life).  As the problems we need medication to save us from are becoming less of a nuisance if left untreated, the possible side effects are getting worse.  I for one would rather put up with occasional heartburn if the cure could cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, liver failure, severe depression, birth defects, heartburn or death.

Most of the drug advertisements tell us "before starting treatment with ____ consult your physician".  Since the prescription has to come from my physiscian, that seems a waste of words.  Instead they should tell you to consider other types of treatment.  Many problems respond quite well to a good diet and regular exercise.  From the drug company point of view, if you ask a doctor about one of their medications, they have won.  Most doctors will be happy to write that prescription and then eagerly await their next visit from the drug company representatives.  If you had seen some of these representatives, you'd understand why.  All I'm saying is that if Playboy ever does a "Girls of Pfizer, Eli Lilly, etc." issue, I'm getting a subscription.

There are still a few good doctors out there, but they are becoming more difficult to find.  A good doctor might tell you to stop watching the drug company ads, get off the couch once in awhile, and cut back on your 15 a day pork chop habit.  But no matter how good, they probably won't have the nerve to tell you, what your child needs is not a pill, but a parent.