LakeCumberlandBoaters.com

Sounds to me like somebody got fired and now has an axe to grind, especially after 15 years. Must not have been a very good drug rep cause she would have backed up her statements with a little proof and references for all her statements.

Welcome back Pinnacle,

She makes some good points that from where I sit and what I see daily I can believe. Then she starts talking about drugs like Antidepressants which I have seen help friends. And I have seen them prescribed wrong and seen them go the other way so for her to state they do nothing does make one think she has a agenda other than 100% truth.

Ditto, E. I have seen some ugly stuff come out of "anti-depressants". I believe they are widely mis-used and abused. Once I wanted to quit smoking, they were pushing "wellbutrin" (sp?) as a good way to kick the habit. Went to the doc, got myself a scrip lickity split, came home and read about the side effects and never took a pill. Figured smoking was going to be less dangerous for "me".

I have taken valium twice in my lifetime (only for the 3mo. time period) and can absolutely see where you could get hooked on these drugs very easily.

Problem with the psych drugs is that they work on the brain, and everybody is wired a little different (as you can deduce from some of the posts they make ). On top of that it is very difficult to make the correct diagnosis. Things can go very bad when a bipolar person is seen for the first time during a depressive episode and is diagnosed as depressed and prescribed an antidepressant. There are lots of mucked up people and not a lot of proven treatments for their problems. Psychiatrists try different things based on experience and literature but it is hit and miss for many. And then it is possible to get a bad doctor, almost as easily as it is to get a bad mechanic.
As for side effects, you probably would not drink coffee if it had to undergo the same scrutiny and reporting that fda approved drugs do, and its label was required to list all the reported effects, whether causitive or not, just because they came up during a study.

I have seen the evils of pill addictions, and I have a 35 year addiction to nicotine. I smoked a pack a day up until Sept. 25, 2010. It's been 15 months since I have smoked a cigarette. I am however, still addicted to nicotine. I still use a nicotine patch, every day. My dr. said I could wear one for the rest of my life to keep me from smoking. It has worked, and patches are waaay cheaper than cigarettes. Hubby quit same day, still wears patches too. I can personally say how noticeable it is when I have forgotten to put a patch on-- I am on edge, and I mean razor edge. Same with hubby, I can tell when he needs to put a patch on, lol. These type addictions, ones that attch to a brain receptor and click on the pleasure switch, are the worst to kick.
Katie, if you really want to quit smoking, you can do it. It took me a few tries and getting really pissed off at myself for smoking as long as I did. The $ we save pays our camper monthly payments easily, and I feel 1000% healthier. I have alot of friends and family who still smoke, and it doesn't bother me to be around them, even when I'm drinking-- LOL!!

Katie & I quit 15 months ago, as far as I know she has not smoked. I found that when I made up my mind to quit I got Chantix and from that day on smoke free. Kate had a bit more of a problem, But I think all is good with her now. She is a trooper. I still crave one but not often. I tried a puff a few months ago, it was terrible, since then I have not had a craving. Anyway I am happy I quit. Better for me and the folks around me.

Kate I am very proud of you, I know it was not easy for you. I love you!

Perhaps a little off topic would be some of the pain management clinics and doctors who whip out big scripts for feel good drugs. Some of these "pain" doctors are probably raking in the cash. I wonder how many people get hooked on drugs because of these places? A lady was telling me that her son received a prescription for 50 pills for post wrist operation pain. She questioned it and apparently this is not a rare thing. She would only give him but a few as the doctor also said that ibprophen would work. ??????? It doesn't take much for some to get hooked on this crap. I have seen it.