How many people that you know are on some type of perscription? Think about that for a second. Now think about how many people are on a psychopharmacudial drug (as in anti-depressants, sleep aids, ADD or ADHD perscriptions or lithium)? Its a lot isn't it?
Here are the facts as I have learned them in psychology and anatomy class. They are not coming from a source that I can site...so I admit this blog is not as credible as it could be. But from what I remember (and I got two A's) the facts are: there are four main types of neurotransmitters. GABA, Dopamine, Seratonin and Norepinephrine. There are quite a few others. But, the four I have named are the only ones that we know (sorr of) what they do.
For those of you who don't know what neurotransmitters are: they are chemicals in the brain that pass across them synaptic cleft (a microscopic space basically) from one neuron in your brain to the other. In other words, they build up your entire thought process, and emotions. Seratonin makes you emotionally happy. Dopamine makes you happy in a way you don't actually notice that well (it is a chemical reward for doing things that involve surviving i.e. sex, eating, sleeping and seeking shelter).
In my opinion, if the makers of these drugs do not know what exactly the other neurotransmitters do...I don't want them messing around in my brain.
We, as a society, seem to be pill poppers. We take drugs to treat symptoms instead of problems, much the same way we drink alcohol to take the edge off. And alcohol does. When you drink alcohol, your brain gets soaked in it, until, it blocks the synapse (synaptic cleft). When this is blocked, your lower brain (sometimes reffered to as Lizard Brain, due to its capacity) takes over. Your body seeks dopamine constantly, which is why drunk people eat more, sleep more, and will do almost anything to have sex.
These psychopharmacudical drugs can do something similiar. Certain anti depressants reffered to as SSRI (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors...Zoloft, Prozac) mimic seratonin in the brain, making a person think that they are getting that chemical (mostly because depressed people don't produce enough of it). Some people on this drug (especially if they are undiagnosed Bi-polar, which is VERY different from Depression) get caught in a manic state. They feel on top of the world and seek dopamine much like a drunk person.
We need to make a change. These drugs need to be taken in moderation instead of the mass amounts they are giving people. Riddlin and other ADHD drugs are amphetamines (speed) and are basically making these people able to focus on studying to become functional members of society.
Why do we treat symptoms instead of causes? How can we fix this?
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Bravo! I am in complete agreement. I recently blogged about my experience with sleeping pills. Yeah...I don't encourage anyone to turn to pills for sleeping problems, it's nothing but a short term solution that will lead to nothing but problems. Most psychiatrists prescribe pills like one would give out candy...it is insane.
THANK YOU FOR COMMENTING!!!!
I was worried that this blog was too wordy and that people weren't reading it for a reason. But everything I have said in there is very true. I have personal expirience with the evil of these pill. People who take SSRI'S and are bi-polar go CRAZY and it is irreversible. We need to fix this .There should be more blogs about it!
Maggie
I agree.
People need to understand the dangers of taking pills that may be prescribed to them. I've been on quite a few different pills ranging from sleeping pills to anti-depressants to tranquilizers and I'm only seventeen. Now, I was lucky and had some help realizing they were dulling my senses. After I was released from the hold of the sleeping pills, I became more motivated. Sure, I was more tired, but I was looking to the future and willing to get off my lazy ass and do something. I don't think some people understand what these pills can actually do to them.