Religion and medication?

Question

What does your relgion say about taking medication, especially for problems such as depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and PMDD? What do you think of people who take medications such as Zoloft or Prozac? Please know that this is not meant as a harmful or insulting question. I simply want to know what various religions think on the subject. To those who may feel it's insulting, I apologize, and it was not the intent.

Answer 1

Ooooooh, nice question sis. I was diagnosed with depression years back. They placed me on prozac and felt that was the solution to my "so called" problem. But the reaity is that over 70% of americans are depressed. It is a very depressing society. I guess some cases are just more severe than others. And I dare not call depression a disease. It is a mind state. I guess it is better to just be happy about everything, than to to think about it(sarcasm). I was on prozac for probaly 3 months before I took myself off it going aginst doctors orders. Yeah, they suck in this department. The real solution for depression is to simply speak to someone to relieve tension. Whom would ever conjecture that the answer could be so simple. Mankind's malice is the source of depression, and ironically the solution is the graces of mankind. Here is a strange fact about prozac. My freind's girlfreind, whom is a nurse, told me that prozac has been proven to make people more suicidal in some cases. But I guess the ratio for the resolved patients on use to the ones whom gotten worse was not credibility enough in the doctor's field to ban it. I guess a few more suicides won't hurt when I can grant people a bliss in some miracle pill(sarcasm).

So, on my personal belief, I don't think medications should be taken at all if one can find a natural cure to natural ailments. Maybe take yoga lessons, consult one whom knows about herbal remedies/suppliments for depression, talk to someone with an open heart(the best remedy by far), change habits that lead to depression, etc.

Salam!

Answer 2

A Can of Worms in which I am much experienced. Let's see, if we have a bad knee, should we have surgery Hmmmmmmmmmmm ???????/ I had a very severe depression brought on by bad health and it messed with my brain chemistry. This is a hot subject in Christianity, but let me tell you this. I went to a $3500 Christian week long place for depression, New Life I think it was, and they said medication was only 10% of the answer, well, after 8 months of hell,I changed dr's went on a new antidepressant and in 3 days started coming out of it and now I'm fine. But also my Dad, who was 86 at the time, later told me he was on his knees twice a day praying that God would cast the demons out of my head.So ??? And my Dad is a good believer, but a crusty old guy and even my mom when he told us after I was well was shocked that he did this in a private time and place but my Dad has strong faith. He said if Jesus could cast out the demons of a mentally ill person in the Bible Jesus could do it for his daughter and Jesus was faithful. I have been saved from death 3 times by prayer, once i was hit in the head with a long surf board in 1966 at age 14 and was told I would die before the neurosurgeon could get there. My dad and mom and brother, aged 16, sat down and prayed and within an hour the hospital called and said they didn't know what happened, I woke up just fine and asked why was I in the hospital ?? Miracles, yes, of course I've experienced many in my day. ONe more. we were way up in the snow getting Christmas trees, we and our best friends when our kids were toddlers. Both of us had Toyota pick ups. They lost their keys and it was getting dark and we would have all frozen. So we started praying and I suggested we use my extra key in their pick up. It unlocked the door, started and ran the pick up. When we got back to their house, we all looked at each other and said, if this was a miracle, when we turn it off and try again it won't work. It didn't ever work in their pick up again but that one time to get us home. Want to explaint this one ? They even ran into us downtown months later and had locked their keys in their pick up and wanted to try mine, no luck !!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

Buddhism believes that if you are ill you should take all reasonable steps to get better. If a medical professional believes a particular treatment is appropriate for a medical condition he would probably know better than a Buddhist Monk.
Buddhism only prohibits the use of drugs or alcohol if they are being used to destroy or nullify mind. Alcohol for medicinal purposes would be equally acceptable to Buddhism although I do not know of any medical condition which requires alcohol. Certainly, using drugd to correct a medical imbalance is acceptable.

Answer 4

Im muslim.

Islamically speaking, if youre sick, you go to the doctor and seek help from what God has bestowed on us (from the fruit of our education and natural remedies). This does not necessarily mean we do not pray for health and fast recovery.

I am for continuous education of the mind thus I know a lot about psychological diseases. How they come to be, what science has to offer and where it lacks.

In all cases tho, Im for moderation and continuous psychological support.

A doctor, will be a stranger to you, but supported with the love and appreciation of your family members anyone can overcome anything in my opinion.

Answer 5

In Islam, it is allowed to have any sort of medication if it really cures the illness that you have. But it also depends on the sickness. If it is a simple psychatric illness that can be treated without medicine, then that's what should be done. But if medication is REQUIRED, then even if the medicine has anything in its components that is not allowed in Islam (eg. alcohol) it is still allowed as it is a cure. Allah said in his Holy Book:

[94.5] Surely with difficulty is ease.
[94.6] With difficulty is surely ease.

Answer 6

'The Scripture says, "Physician, heal thyself". To me that means that God gave the doctors knowledge about the body to help other learn how to best take care of themselves. If this requires certain types of medication and is done with the patients' best interests at heart, then the patients' faith should be placed in God directing the doctor's hand and instruction.

Answer 7

Well as Andrew Wommack said in his daily broadcast today,that as with Elijah being feed by ravens and drinking from a brook. God combines the natural with the Supernatural. In my opinion I feel that medication should be taken, Because it is the consequences to our actions of not doing things God way.
If we lived the way it states in the Bible that we should live,without worrying,fear,and focusing on only the positive we wouldn't bring depression on ourselves. And it is the just fruits of our labors. But in my opinion that just goes to teach us the main lesson that perhaps God knows what He is talking about. Take care and may God bless you spiritually.

Answer 8

nothing I think... let me check.

ok. The seventh book of Bokonon says "The hand that stocks the drug stores rules the world." Does that help?

I think that antidepressants probably are overprescribed, as is ritalin. But generally speaking it's good these medications are used. Religion has nothing to do with it (unless you're a Scientologist of course...).

Answer 9

Religion and medication can be traced back at least as far as the old testament times. Let us not forget that god said to moses as the latter was leaving to go down the mountain, "Don't forget to take the tablets!"

Answer 10

Since I have no religion I follow what my doctor tells me regarding my health