Another television commercial, for a drug company, caught my attention. This "chemical additive" promises you a stable countenance. Should you suffer from Bi-Polar Depression just take this pill and you will be stabilized. I'm not saying that Bi-Polar isn't a genuine mental illness, or that depression doesn't exist, but do we really need to medicate ourselves when we don't feel happy ? Is not sadness within the realm of human emotions ? I have serious doubts about the necessity of advertising for this product. It would just seem to me the health care professionals would be aware of these products and prescribe them as necessary.
I read a little about this bi polar stuff. It said that it effects about 4% of the population. The article didn't say how they arrived at that conclusion. It did say that Bi-Polar is a mental condition marked by periods of high energy contrasted by periods of depression. In other words, some days we're happy and others we're sad. Sounds like my life. The problem lies in the measurement of these values.
Dale Evans wrote it and Roy Rogers sang it, " Some days are happy ones, others are blue, it's the way you ride the trail that counts, here's a happy one for you. " Was Dale writing about Bi-Polar ? I don't think so.
I do question why a drug company would be pushing a product that would supposedly benefit,at the most, four per cent of the market. Probably even less than that if you exclude children. Advertising is done to increase profit margins. That is the simple truth of it no matter how much the drug companies wish to spin it otherwise. This particular commercial promises you a happy,stable life if it doesn't cause you to commit suicide or develop other serious, possibly life threatening disorders.
The purpose of the ad is to make you want the product. By describing , in a few brief sentences what the symptoms requiring this medicine may be, what is the purpose ? To make you seek trained professional help ? Would you not already have done that if the condition was severe ? A condition , whose diagnosis is generally dependent upon my testimony of the disorder, can be easily misdiagnosed. Going to a doctor is much like taking your car to the mechanic, seldom are you going to hear, nothing needs fixed. Seek a psychiatrist and present him with the symptoms, as presented in the commercial, and guess what his diagnosis will be ? I think we all know that answer. Almost all the drug commercials use that same strategy. List the symptoms, tell you to seek a health care professional, ( hopefully you will ask for there product ) and be treated. After that all is well. No need to learn to cope with adversity or feeling less than euphoric.
Perhaps it is an old fashioned notion, this self help attitude of mine. I don't believe in just medicating or masking our problems. Medication certainly is a benefit to humanity that can not be denied. I question however the necessity of a lot of these " treatments. " Should we not be teaching coping skills to put it in the modern phraseology ? Or just, deal with it, as our parents would say. All things in moderation my friends.
I've vented my frustration at this practice before and probably will again. I am anti drug advertising. I am for teaching people how to just deal with it and move on. If the stats are to be believed, four percent of the population suffers from Bi-Polar disorder. Before the advent of these chemicals these four per centers just walked among us sometimes happy and sometimes sad. We can change all that.
I will end this little rant by saying, I am thankful that for those that need it, that these products are available. That is the key however, the genuine need. Products that are necessities seldom require advertising. Advertising is an inducement to purchase ! Simple as that.
I read a little about this bi polar stuff. It said that it effects about 4% of the population. The article didn't say how they arrived at that conclusion. It did say that Bi-Polar is a mental condition marked by periods of high energy contrasted by periods of depression. In other words, some days we're happy and others we're sad. Sounds like my life. The problem lies in the measurement of these values.
Dale Evans wrote it and Roy Rogers sang it, " Some days are happy ones, others are blue, it's the way you ride the trail that counts, here's a happy one for you. " Was Dale writing about Bi-Polar ? I don't think so.
I do question why a drug company would be pushing a product that would supposedly benefit,at the most, four per cent of the market. Probably even less than that if you exclude children. Advertising is done to increase profit margins. That is the simple truth of it no matter how much the drug companies wish to spin it otherwise. This particular commercial promises you a happy,stable life if it doesn't cause you to commit suicide or develop other serious, possibly life threatening disorders.
The purpose of the ad is to make you want the product. By describing , in a few brief sentences what the symptoms requiring this medicine may be, what is the purpose ? To make you seek trained professional help ? Would you not already have done that if the condition was severe ? A condition , whose diagnosis is generally dependent upon my testimony of the disorder, can be easily misdiagnosed. Going to a doctor is much like taking your car to the mechanic, seldom are you going to hear, nothing needs fixed. Seek a psychiatrist and present him with the symptoms, as presented in the commercial, and guess what his diagnosis will be ? I think we all know that answer. Almost all the drug commercials use that same strategy. List the symptoms, tell you to seek a health care professional, ( hopefully you will ask for there product ) and be treated. After that all is well. No need to learn to cope with adversity or feeling less than euphoric.
Perhaps it is an old fashioned notion, this self help attitude of mine. I don't believe in just medicating or masking our problems. Medication certainly is a benefit to humanity that can not be denied. I question however the necessity of a lot of these " treatments. " Should we not be teaching coping skills to put it in the modern phraseology ? Or just, deal with it, as our parents would say. All things in moderation my friends.
I've vented my frustration at this practice before and probably will again. I am anti drug advertising. I am for teaching people how to just deal with it and move on. If the stats are to be believed, four percent of the population suffers from Bi-Polar disorder. Before the advent of these chemicals these four per centers just walked among us sometimes happy and sometimes sad. We can change all that.
I will end this little rant by saying, I am thankful that for those that need it, that these products are available. That is the key however, the genuine need. Products that are necessities seldom require advertising. Advertising is an inducement to purchase ! Simple as that.
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