5 ms·

Medication like Zoloft helped a ton for me with these things

Normal_gaussian 10y ago
As a Brit, such statements just blow my mind. Giving a random stranger on the internet medical advice - and for a branded drug at that. "you may want to see a doctor, sometimes these things need medicated" seems like reasonable, responsible advice. But handing out specific drug recommendations - WTF?! I experienced the same thing when my American cousins were over last summer. Unsolicited and highly dangerous medical advice tossed out like a TV show recommendation. EDIT: I realise I do not actually know the nationality of the previous poster, and that their statement referred solely to themselves, yet I still feel it is dangerous and will leave the original message intact.
- tdkl 10y ago
  Must be something with the "magic pill for everything" PR that is popular in USA. Goes hand in hand with non existing public healthcare, so "market can handle that".
  - devoply 10y ago
    Now if they would only let you self-prescribe drugs we'd be all set.
  - colechristensen 10y ago
    It's not just PR, it's a common American way of thinking. From branded medications to diet books, "health" foods, and trends ad nauseam, there's a pervasive culture of cure-all objects and systems. Then again, we don't have fine physical understanding of most mind disorders or the medications we use to treat them so if your doctor is effectively throwing darts at a board then why not internet strangers?
    - crazypyro 10y ago
      This is nothing special about America. Every culture has its own brand of cure-all objects and systems. In fact, China has significantly more home remedies and cure-all objects (that generally have zero scientific evidence). Everyone in this thread trying to say general ignorance is something Americans have a monopoly on is silly. It's a human condition, nothing to do with country.
      - Normal_gaussian 10y ago
        It's definitely part of the human condition, but its also much more prevalent in the USA and as you note China. Many wealthy European countries have a much more suspicious attitude to health vendors. Then again we often ban their advertisements.
- dhimes 10y ago
  their statement referred solely to themselves This is important, and why it is ok to say it IMO, and I'm glad GP did. It's an honest and real response.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- rosser 10y ago
  As you note in your edit, your comment's parent likely wasn't intended to be normative. It was instead, I think, intended to normalize psychiatric medication. I have a huge problem with the way some of these drugs are over-prescribed. But I have an even bigger problem with stigmatizing people who are availing themselves of a resource that might be of help to them.
  - Normal_gaussian 10y ago
    Yes this is true. I don't see much stigma for people receiving medication, but there is a taboo here on your average Joe giving symptom->drug suggestions
- brokenmachine 10y ago
  All he said was that it helped him... Also I don't see why being a Brit would make a difference, I'm an Australian and hearing that a drug helped someone isn't that mindblowing to me. On top of that, he'd have to convince a doctor to actually obtain the drug.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - Normal_gaussian 10y ago
    That was noted in the edit. It just isn't the culture here to talk about specific medications. People are more likely to focus on the condition, and urge someone to go get checked out (often to 'demand a consultant' but I've never seen somebody explicitly or implicitly told to request a specific drug).

As a Brit, such statements just blow my mind. Giving a random stranger on the internet medical advice - and for a branded drug at that. "you may want to see a doctor, sometimes these things need medicated" seems like reasonable, responsible advice. But handing out specific drug recommendations - WTF?! I experienced the same thing when my American cousins were over last summer. Unsolicited and highly dangerous medical advice tossed out like a TV show recommendation. EDIT: I realise I do not actually know the nationality of the previous poster, and that their statement referred solely to themselves, yet I still feel it is dangerous and will leave the original message intact.

tdkl 10y ago
Must be something with the "magic pill for everything" PR that is popular in USA. Goes hand in hand with non existing public healthcare, so "market can handle that".
- devoply 10y ago
  Now if they would only let you self-prescribe drugs we'd be all set.
- colechristensen 10y ago
  It's not just PR, it's a common American way of thinking. From branded medications to diet books, "health" foods, and trends ad nauseam, there's a pervasive culture of cure-all objects and systems. Then again, we don't have fine physical understanding of most mind disorders or the medications we use to treat them so if your doctor is effectively throwing darts at a board then why not internet strangers?
  - crazypyro 10y ago
    This is nothing special about America. Every culture has its own brand of cure-all objects and systems. In fact, China has significantly more home remedies and cure-all objects (that generally have zero scientific evidence). Everyone in this thread trying to say general ignorance is something Americans have a monopoly on is silly. It's a human condition, nothing to do with country.
    - Normal_gaussian 10y ago
      It's definitely part of the human condition, but its also much more prevalent in the USA and as you note China. Many wealthy European countries have a much more suspicious attitude to health vendors. Then again we often ban their advertisements.
dhimes 10y ago
their statement referred solely to themselves This is important, and why it is ok to say it IMO, and I'm glad GP did. It's an honest and real response.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
rosser 10y ago
As you note in your edit, your comment's parent likely wasn't intended to be normative. It was instead, I think, intended to normalize psychiatric medication. I have a huge problem with the way some of these drugs are over-prescribed. But I have an even bigger problem with stigmatizing people who are availing themselves of a resource that might be of help to them.
- Normal_gaussian 10y ago
  Yes this is true. I don't see much stigma for people receiving medication, but there is a taboo here on your average Joe giving symptom->drug suggestions
brokenmachine 10y ago
All he said was that it helped him... Also I don't see why being a Brit would make a difference, I'm an Australian and hearing that a drug helped someone isn't that mindblowing to me. On top of that, he'd have to convince a doctor to actually obtain the drug.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- Normal_gaussian 10y ago
  That was noted in the edit. It just isn't the culture here to talk about specific medications. People are more likely to focus on the condition, and urge someone to go get checked out (often to 'demand a consultant' but I've never seen somebody explicitly or implicitly told to request a specific drug).