Why do most Americans need to be on Rx drugs?

Question

Are we a sickly populous?

Oldvet: The concensus is that 80% of all Americans are on some type of Rx drug.

Answer 1

No, we are suckers for clever marketing campaigns.

Answer 2

environment is sickly -- unhealthy lifestyles -- Rx Drugs don't help that..

they don't need to be -- it is treating for an "ideal" people could not be on the Rx's - it's a choice to take them.

IF they don't and their longevity is effected or their enjoyment of life that is that--- it's a general facts doctors overprescribe and generally don't get people to make healthy lifestyle choices.


They don't need them in many cases - but in some it may 'hide' unwanted life circumstances.
It is fairly sickly though. obestiety urban pollutants - bad water supply etc..


wage slavery and artificial consumption (coffee sugar chemically treated meats and fruits and vegetables.. etc..) water with estrogen and other petrochemical runoffs and Rx's mixed into the communal cup (not to mention shocked fecees and urine).. so everyone drinking public water is likely getting some drugs to mess around with their biochemistry and body function.. (not even to mention the industrial waste that is pumped into the water supply - and thus food chain - where it doesn't already come down in rain or contaminate the soil at low to medium levels)

the new scale -\
survivable - toxic and damaging - totally deadly


the old scale
healthy - probably shouldn't touch - OMG it's poison

most Rx's are prescribed at level #2 -- but if you take too much fall into #3.

good doctors will claim the persons life was already at #3


so what it works out to is..

lets balance this chemical cocktail out a bit -- but then people just add to the communal pot a little more.. .and so goes generation after generation.

Answer 3

A sickly POPULOUS?
Well, I don't know about that.
I do know that meds are WAY over prescribed from personal experience.
I also know that many of the meds that are available are needed and many mothers in other countries would kiss my *** to get them.
Also, if a pharmaceutical company is pushing a drug, it's my responsibility to do the research before I take it...Personal responsibility.
D

Answer 4

Look around, one-third of the Nation is seriously obese. Another one-third are overweight, we eat more junk food per capita than any other country and because our health care system is broken many cannot afford to see a doctor.

The drug companies lure us with expensive advertising to believe their pills will cure us.

We drive everywhere and breathe dirty air. We have made ourselves sickly.

Answer 5

Simple--money. The pharma companies make fantastic profits by developing drugs for "conditions" and then spending 20% of their total revenue (I'm not exaggeratig) on advertising to convince people to take them.

And--the industry has pushed long and hard to make medication, not therapy, counselling, diet, or exercise, the preferred option.

For a great history of this with respect to the use of "anti-depressants" aond other psychoactive drugs--see Metzl--"Prozac on the Couch."

Answer 6

While there are some doctors that probably over prescribe and some people who seem to have the need to be sick....there are many many more doctors that prescribe sensibly and people who need meds. I didn't notice that anyone who has answered has the MD behind their user name...nor do I but it is a fact that we take meds because we have access to medical care and if you need medicine shouldn't you take. If someone has high blood pressure shouldn't they take meds for it. If you are diabetic shouldn't you take insulin. Same if you have migraines, depression, high or low thyroid, pain....If we need them we are entitled to them....Americans have medical care and get medical care. Plain and simple.

Yes it is true many things could be handled by alternate means but that is not widely known or understood by most Americans. Life Extention is a great place to start if we want to handle our ills with alternative means. I use both.

Additionally if people ate right and avoided additives, food coloring, food from china (LOL), excessive sugar, processed food, etc we would all be better. But this starts at home and from the crib. Parents need to change how their kids are fed and what they eat. It all starts at home.....remember that......

Answer 7

i think brian's partially correct--if not a little too cynical on this one.

the united states has an abnormally large obese population which may lead to more need for diabetes medications.

consider also the high blood pressure meds that go with being overweight.

we're also getting a lot older--which almost invariably leads to more needed medications to function.

the longer we live, the more drugs we'll need to stay alive.

Answer 8

I take a thyroid medication every day-doesn't make me sickly... Many people are on drugs they probably don't need. Anti-depressants for instance. I believe they have been over prescribed. Or antibiotics.

Answer 9

Madison Avenue. The same reason men now dye their hair (Just For Men) and women need to get rid of all the wrinkles (Botox). And I suspect a lot of the medications are just as necessary..............
"Ask Your Doctor If This Is Right For You."

Answer 10

Some of us are sick and it's no fault of our own. I have ulcerative colitis and without modern medicine, I would probably be dead. Believe me, I lived with it for a year until I was diagnosed and took no medications but I lost about 30 pounds, was severly mal nourished and was eventually hospitilized....so most? maybe not... but some of us need them and thank god for them being available. Their profit margin though is a whole other story.

Also, let me note that I was a healthy 20 something athletic female who ate healthy food and there was no "lifestyle choice" that made me sick. And I tried all the "alternative natural methods" as well.

I love how I did not choose to become sick and I get thumbs downs. Try having a social life while not taking medicine for a serious digestive disorder and then come back to me with your thumbs downs. I avoided pills for a whole year and almost died, now I take medication and have a fulfilling life.

Answer 11

Actually, many of the problems for which we receive drug therapy could be solved through alternative means. But, I guess we're just too lazy for that. We'd rather go to the doctor and get a prescription than eat right and exercise, for example. Guess we're just a nation of drug addicts, huh?