Interested

[vraic]

I read a number of blogs, including randoms, from different sources -blogger ,lj, whererever. One theme caught my eye from American blogs... the amount of depression medication people take. The UK peoples' blogs I read don't mention any medications much - indeed my real life UK friends seem not to take them either. I wonder whether it is anything

Comments

[crystel_dream]

Is there a temptaion to get your money's worth or is it just less acceptable to suffer/cope than in the UK. I think a lot of it is to do with convenience and the easy option. American culture doesn't seem to have the same stigma over prescribed drugs that we do. As far as I've been able to tell it seems to be inbuilt into the American psyche to keep going no matter what and by any means necessary. They don't have time to slow down and try to sort out their problems for the most part. Drugs are the easy solution

[vraic]

It makes great sense!. I agree with you about the stigma part; treatment for the mind rather than the body does have a stigma in the UK. I think the UK may need to overcome that in the future; but whether treatment is by medication is a different matter. Councelling may be a better method, but again there is argument that raking over things makes you focus even more on the upset, when what you really need to be taught is how to get over it and enjoy life again. No easy answers!

[kayre]

There seems to be a mindset here, among both doctors and patients, that when you go to a doctor, you get drugs to fix things. Doctors tell stories of patients being upset when they're told they don't need drugs, or of telling the doctor what they believe they need. Some doctors seem to take the easy way out of this by routinely prescribing *something* at nearly every visit.

My husband once mentioned "feeling tired and blah a lot" at a routine physical, and was given a prescription for Prozac. No discussion of the fact that he was working at a high stress job, studying at Notre Dame, and had a 6 month old baby! We tore up the prescription.

[vraic]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned doctors seeking to "fix" things, rather than helping you find a strategy to cope. The example of your husband being offered prozac is a good illustration of that - his life at the time was guaranteed to make Superman feel tired. A few sage words on stress management or just a little understanding would have been far more beneficial. Thanks for your reply.

[beccak1961]

This isn't to be at all judgmental, but many of my f/list talk about the depression medications they take, and I was surprised at how many are taking something. I don't about the UK... but I've never even wanted to take something. Of course, I don't get depressed for long periods, a few days, maybe a week here and there.

[vraic]

I'm with you on that one. I get hacked off or down as much as the next person, but I can usually jolly myself out of it (dancing like a loon to cheesy old dance tunes does it for me)I suppose my view might change if I really did suffer from cronic depression. Thanks for your reply.

[kittymistress]

I'd never really noticed the frequency with which illness/medications were mentioned in posts before but I can see that you're probably right.

I think it's more acceptable in the U.S. to medicate and then to be very open in talking about it. Maybe folks from the U.K. aren't as forthcoming in talking about illness/prescription drugs in their lj's as the Americans are.

[vraic]

The great British reserve!.. you could be right that it isn't talked about yet still goes on. I'm still of a mind that we tend to moan but not medicate by and large. Thanks for your reply

[viciated_wilkin]

i never wanted to take medication for depression.. but the recent problems with my mom's health have taken a huge toll on me. i know they are the cause of the depression.. and no amount of talking is going to make her illness go away (she is in the end stages of multiple sclerosis). i was finding myself in tears almost constantly and crying to and from my job every day (1 hr each way).. i couldn't function. talking to friends didn't help at all, writing didn't, and counseling didn't

[vraic]

I know you have been going through an awful lot recently, with your mom's heartbreaking illness and personal stuff too. I'm sure medication would be given in the UK or anywhere to help someone under so much stress. I hope you can find something that will help without messing you up in other ways. *Hug