Even though I've been fighting cancer for 2 years, I don't have to take any drugs. Well, I do take Megace to give me an appetite. Otherwise I wouldn't eat anything. I don't like to take drugs and when they advertise them on tv and go through all the side effects, Jammer and I just look at each other and think the illness would be better than the side effects.

The type of drug you mention scares me, however many of these drugs allow people with mental illness to function. I'm thinking of a friend who has bi-polar disorder, and she takes some scary drugs; however, they allow her to work and be a functioning part of our society.

I have taken Atavan to calm nerves, when my mother died. It allowed me the composure to speak at her funeral, which I wanted to do very much but wasn't really in shape to do it without the drug.

I would not even think for a moment of using a "recreational" drug.

Thought I would mention what Dr Oz said. He suggested that if you are depressed, figure out why you are depressed and work on that. Don't just take a drug that's going to mess with your brain.
I had a nephew who was a wonderful, happy person. His best friend was an MD. He mentioned to his friend that he had been feeling a little depressed lately and the friend gave him a prescription for a drug for depression. He started taking it and his wife ask him to quit taking it because he was acting crazy. So he quit. He got up in the middle of the night, wrote letters to his wife and daughters and the police. He drove to the park, called 911 and shot himself. He would never have done anything like this if it hadn't been from that drug. He was around 35 years old.

No, I don't take anything either.
Monday before my procedure, I was asked about
drugs I take, and kept answering, "no" . I finally
told her and the other nurse (they asked the same questions
twice) that I take only calcium, B6, milk thistle and L~glutamine. I think they were both a little
surprised also.

MaryAnn... that happened to my friend's nephew. He was 21. And was having anxiety problems, 4 months after he was prescribed TWO meds, he and his dad were driving down the
driveway to go golfing, he made his Dad turn around, saying
he forgot a club, he walked in to his bedroom and shot himself in the head. so very very sad

I take several medications for Addison's disease, hypothyroid, and cardiac arrhythmia, and thank God that they keep me alive.

As for antidepressants, I understand that many people feel they're over-prescribed. However, the consensus of the medical community seems to be that depression is seriously *under*-diagnosed, and - besides the toll on people's lives - it also takes lots of productivity away from businesses.

Just because there's an event or life change that you can point at to explain extreme sadness doesn't mean that someone isn't depressed. (I fell into that way of thinking once, to my detriment.) If you're depressed, you're depressed.

I also don't think it really matters whether one might cycle out of depression naturally, if not treated. We treat lots of other diseases that people can recover from naturally, to provide comfort and alleviate suffering.

As Socks12345 said, many of these mind-altering drugs allow people to function in society. Maybe your friend is more affected than you know. Perhaps she went to her doctor and happened to mention that she's not sleeping well, her appetite is off, she can't concentrate as well as usual - the signs of depression.

Personally, I am *happy* when a doctor brings up the possibility of depression. I was once seriously depressed and (in hindsight) gave a doctor every bit of information needed to diagnose depression, and she missed it. She recommended that I take a vacation! (And this after I mentioned that my income was way down because I couldn't concentrate to work.) Eventually a doctor prescribed Prozac, which brought me to a level where I could concentrate and actually work on the problems at hand, rather than simply fighting my way through each day.

These are serious drugs with serious side-effects, but I think most people use them responsibly. Virtually everyone I know who's used an SSRI uses it for a relatively short period of time, usually less than a year, and then stops.

I'm like you, I'm astonished at how quickly doctors prescribe drugs. I'd never dream of suggesting a medication to my doctor, like they advertise on TV. His way is - you tell me your problem and I'll tell you what you need. And I too think that some drugs can cause other things to go awry.

I'm not referring to life or death drugs, but a drug for every little thing? I listen to my aunts and sometimes it seems like they're in competition with who takes the most.

I think the last thing my MD perscribed for me was antibiotics for an ear infection, and that was well over 10 years ago. And so far I think I'm healthy.

I think the biggest problem are the doctors who slap a 'bandaid' on each symptom instead of looking for the root cause. Sadly most people just blindly follow the doctor's orders. I can't tell you how many times I was prescribed antidepressants for depression which ended up being cured once I was finally diagnosed and treated for Hashimotos Hypothyroidism! Maryann said Thought I would mention what Dr Oz said. He suggested that if you are depressed, figure out why you are depressed and work on that. SO very very TRUE!!

Well, Dr. Oz's advice is true ... to an extent. Lydia1959, your doctor screwed up by missing the thyroid problem. I had a similar problem when I got Graves Disease (hyperthyroidism). I thought I was going crazy - but my doctor caught and treated it.

What Dr. Oz seems to miss (at least going by this quote) is that sometimes (often, I would say) the medications *allow* you to work on the problem. They don't change your personality - they let you feel like yourself. When you're depressed (not blue, not sad, but depressed), you're not in a great frame of mind to work on your issues. In your mind, you know that regular exercise will help, but you can't make yourself do it. You know that talking to a friend might help, but the last thing you want to do is to see anyone.

Medication can get you to a place where you're on an even-enough keel to actually do something to improve your life.

Lydia1959, your doctor screwed up by missing the thyroid problem.

Make that about 10 doctors including my gyn (fibroids can be a hypo symptom), at least 3 regular MD's, a rheumetologist (whom I seen for a high ANA, a marker for autoimmune disease), a neurologist (for chronic daily headaches - also a symptom of hypothyroidism) and YES, even a endocrinologist!!!! Why did they all miss my Hashimotos?? Because none of them checked my thyroid antibodies! They all checked the standard tsh, some even checked the T3 and T4 levels which were all normal. My Thyroglobulin antibodies were almost double at 53 what they should have been. TPO antibodies were a whopping 1284! Normal range is 0 to 60.

It wasn't just the problems I mentioned in the above paragraph either.... each doctor received a very long list of symptoms I was suffering with. I had all the typical hypothyroid symptoms, yet they still prescribed antidepressants, pain pills, dangerous migraine medications, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: More on Thyroid antibodies

I entered a medical study several years ago and the end result was severe clinical depression as a side effect. (The drug never made it to market here in the US and was taken off the market in Europe.)
I was put on an anti-depressant and had good results but too many side effects. I was changed to another medication and had good results but got tired of some of the side effects so I gradually quit taking the medication.
I felt my depression was returning so instead of going back on medication I joined a gym and have been exercising at least 30 minutes a day six days a week. Best thing I have found for depression!
I take medication for hypertension, asthma and venous insufficiency but hope to be able to go off most of them by continuing the exercise and by changing my eating habits.

Do I take any meds? I could skip a meal for the calories in pill coatings I consume in a day ;).

For the diabetes: Something for blood sugar control, something to correct the ratio of blood fats, something to lower my blood pressure below normal to protect my kidneys from damage for as long as we can. That's three meds right there.

I also take a daily vitamin D. I used to take a daily low dose aspirin, but new studies show the protection from heart disease it affords is not extended to people of my age group with my kind of diabetes. They suggest the vitamin D does more for that.

My anxiety and OCD are controlled by another medication. It is a LIFE saver. I cannot express the difference between my life without it, and my life with it.

Used to take a multi-vitamin too, but when we all got the flu, I burped up then threw up that darn thing for two days, I swear. I can't even open the bottle without gagging yet.

I think it is the pressure from the pharmaceutical people that keeps pushing quite a few of the drugs. It is the job of the sales people to push as much as they can to sell the pills. The medical people are overwhelmed with so much now, rules, new meds, paper work, people seeing a certain pill advertised then demand they get it, etc.
Before when pills were not advertised, we never thought we knew what would cure everything we have, that is now we do because the media tells us how sick we really are. LOL.
We do have to watch depression in the norther states due to a lack of sunshine, but Vit D does seem to make a difference.
Also, it is good that a Dr. can give samples to see if the pill will work. Also some insurance companies, Blue Cross/Anthem is constantly calling their members, asking what do you take, why, and the want to call my Dr. to tell him what they think I should take. I told them NO they cannot call my Dr. I will discuss it with him, but they keep asking and do get upset when I told them NO.
Yes people do need some, but do we really need all those pills and food supplements?

I don't take any prescription drugs, and have strong feelings about the drug lobby, Big Pharma's influence on medical practice, the way drugs are marketed, and our grossly over-medicated society. It's frightening.

My husband's uncle (by marriage) went to the Hospital when he was 81, he was feeling very, very bad and his blood tests showed he had leukemia. When they were taking his medical history, they were surprised the only pills he'd been taking were vitamins. Imagine being 81 with no known medical problems. The leukemia claimed him several weeks later.

I take several and spent quite a bit of time reviewing the pros/cons/risks/benefits before deciding to do so.

Though I don't care for some of the pharmaceutical sales and marketing tactics, I think rather highly of the industry since I would not be here today were it not for chemotherapeutic agents that saved my life - twice.

After all that toxic stuff I've had with no ill effects, I don't worry all that much about the other meds I take.

I'll be 59 next month and I went on my first and only pill last year. I'm Hypothyroid so that dily pill is necessary.

Like Carol I believe diet and exercise goes a long way towards keeping one off pills.

I know a lot of people blame their doctors but it also works in reverse. Some people want an instant fix. They don't want to change their habits (smoking,over-eating,lack of exercise) so the doctor has no choice but to put them on pills.

I do believe antidepressants are way over-prescribed.

No Rx's for me.

I think there are many meds that are over prescribed & an underlying cause for that is the huuuge amount of advertising.

I do take a multi-vitamin, Vit D, Calcium, Fish Oil & aspirin.

The only 'drugs' I take are OTC's: baby aspirin almost every night and stool softners occasionally - I am almost 60 years old, so I am really blessed to be 'prescription-free'.

i take cholesterol, bp, kidney, and now anti-hormone. oh and although it's otc, a plain vit d, prescribed by the kidney doc.

i have never understood your local gp writing out a script for a mind altering drug.

what happen to the days you saw a shrink? are they now saying that all the people who were helped over the years wern't?

No doubt in my mind that we're a vastly over-prescribed society. A good percentage of people would be far better off to get off the drugs. In my opinion it's peoples' "recreational drugs".

Television advertising of drugs should be banned in my opinion. People go running to their doctor asking to be put on drugs. And while a doctor should be held more accountable, with the way it is, with people running to the doctor when they have the sniffles, tying up the doctors' time from those who could use the time spent, I understand how doctors are rushed and just give a "pacifier" to people.

It's really interesting to see how Norway has virtually eliminated MRSA from their country.

Thanks to all of you for your input. I want to be clear that I'm only questioning the use of mind-altering drugs for every sad feeling following events like death of a loved one, loss of a job, a divorce, etc. It's NATURAL to feel depressed over these events. It seems UNNATURAL to think everyone needs or should use drugs to LIVE through them.

We've all seen movies in which the family doctor sedates the new widow who is in shock. That helps get her though the shock and the funeral, but she's not expected to need to take 'something' for months and years.

I understand that people who are afraid to fly take ONE dose of Xanax when they board a plane to treat their anxiety over that single thing.

I don't understand that idea that no one can be permitted to feel sadness over one of life's sad events; they all need chemical 'help'. Live people FEEL a range of emotions.

Remember sci-fi books and movies where everyone was happy ALL the time? Everyone was drugged, taking SOMA?

Chisue, if you've never been on antidepressants, you may not know that they don't keep you from feeling sadness, nor do they give you any sort of a high. They just take away the "gee, I hope that car hits me" feeling.

I also think it's really important to differentiate between sadness, over whatever, and depression. When my mother died, I was *so* sad. I cried a lot, I couldn't imagine life without her. I was *not* depressed. I was not hopeless, I was not wishing I were dead, I was able to work. When the sadness faded, I was left with wonderful memories of my mother, a deeper understanding of our mortality, and great empathy for those who were grieving. It was exactly what one would hope for, to go through a difficult time and learn valuable life lessons.

When I *was* depressed, all those things were different. I spent most of my time in bed, I missed so much work that my income went way down. I couldn't pay my bills and my mortgage company began foreclosure proceedings. I stayed away from people, and, though I didn't think of killing myself, I prayed constantly for death. I couldn't imagine that anything would get better. Ever.

I don't think there was any point to *feeling* this range of emotions. There was nothing good or redemptive in there. It was totally debilitating. Everyone knew something was wrong, but no one thought of depression because I'm a strong, confident woman, generally able to face whatever life brings. But it wasn't a matter of will and perseverance that time; I was ill. Would I have pulled out of it without drugs? Probably. Depression is a cyclical illness, and generally goes away within a year or so, though it often returns. Had I waited for it to go away naturally, I may well have lost my home, my job, and some of my friends. I thank God for the one friend who suggested that I might be depressed and sent me to a doctor. (A GP, by the way, not a psychiatrist.)

Chisue, you really seem to be protesting drugs given for sadness, rather than for depression, and I'd agree with you there. Do you think there's no possibility that your friend is depressed?

joann -- We ARE on the same page.

I understand the difference between deep-seated depression and 'sad feelings'. What I'm seeing is that 'sad feelings' are increasingly being labled as depression and being 'treated' with powerful drugs.

My friend is sad after a recent death in her family. She had no signs of depression prior to this event, and I believe she'll get past the sadness in a reasonable time. I think her doctor is leaping to diagnose depression where there is only normal sadness.

Your illustration about your mother's death fits her perfectly. My friend is sad, not *depressed*. She's functioning well in daily life. She tears up when we speak of the deceased -- nothing unusual about that, IMO. People don't get over grief in any set amount of time, but this death was only a couple months ago.

I grieved my late mother for more than a year and can still choke up now, 30 years later, when I think of her long, hard death from leukemia. I don't think I needed drugs then -- or now.

I don't want my friend to be *made ill* or to become addicted.

I did see a psychiatrist and he loved to prescribe all sorts of medicines.....anti-depressant, anti-anxiety medicine, sleeping pills....I could have gotten anything from him.
I finally came to the realization I was becoming dependent on some of the medications so I weaned myself off them.
Best thing I ever did for myself.....unless it is making exercise a priority in my life.

Carol -- SO UNFAIR to have developed depression as a side effect! Thanks for the 'prescription' of EXERCISE.

I'm betting that the psychiatrist my friend saw doesn't see *anyone* he doesn't label as needing meds.