WARNING!
image courtesy of photobucket.com
Warning: This post may cause Stomach Irritation – Headaches – Nausea – Diarrhea – Impotency – and/or Thoughts of Suicide. This post shouldn’t be read if Pregnant or Nursing… If any of these symptoms occur, discontinue reading and call your doctor immediately!
Everyone should be used to this type of disclaimer by now. I marvel and have to chuckle at the ones I hear on TV. These are a comedic gold mine!
The disclaimer for the products intended to enhance sexual activity are pretty graphic. If you think the disclaimers are just to cover the manufacturers legally, and probably never happen, think again!
My wife, having been a nurse and still on the inside of that social circle, and our oldest having done her internship for her nursing degree, gives me access to at least share with the reader the stories of men with some of those symptoms warned about and advised in the disclaimer to, “Seek professional help,” that some really do! Although none with blindness…
The most puzzling part of the disclaimers for medicines is that in many of the scenarios, at least one of the side effects are an increased chance of winding up with the very thing that the drug is designed to address?
I understand that some people have chemical imbalances and certain drugs do help those select people cope with their issues. I’m curious as to why or how is it that the first thing our society thinks will help them is a foreign substance administered inside their body? Especially after we hear the possible side effects!
My first thought for any ailment in me or anyone I know is, “What can I ingest naturally that might allow the body to fix itself? Or, “What do I need to not ingest inside the body to help repair any problems”?
The most bothersome of all the drugs peddled by the pharmaceutical companies are the anti-depressant and also anti-anxiety medicines. I know some people on these drugs. I don’t’ know one of them that the drugs have helped.
To be sure, they numb the mind and take the sharp edge off of the recipient, but it’s only temporary. I’ve witnessed the people “drugged up” by these anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medicines and they act like zombies; physically there, but they’re not all there mentally.
In the cloud of drugs, the people I’ve seen lose even more grip on their lives. The poison designed to ”control” their mind does just that, and in time the life of stress, anxiety, and depression become even worse.
My theory on this subject has the same cause and cure as all the other problems in our world. I don’t question the fact some people’s minds work differently than others. I get that fact… I too live that fact. Every human being has a tendency to something.
Some people by nature care too little about all the things, big and small alike in their world. Others care too much about the matters of life, and it doesn’t matter if the subject is monumental or trivial.
Regardless of which side of this line a person falls on, it has the some origin. It is how we were wired or designed and it is a gift from God. The gift only causes damage, pain, and spirals out of control when we sprinkle in a healthy dose of the original sin; selfishness.
The anxiousness and melancholy that dance on the fringes of depression, naturally step across that line occasionally. In that state, we can learn and relate to others and ourselves.
There are highs and lows. God’s design for us is to be about others. When we do, the highs are higher and the lows don’t drop quite as deep.
And in the morning, there is rejoicing…
Not side effects…
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 10:30 am
I almost stopped when I read your post could cause impotence, but glad I pressed on. 🙂 It’s so true. We can try to numb ourselves with the poisons of sin and selfishness, but it doesn’t last. There is no real peace or joy. It’s manufactured. We may feel better for a while, but we are no closer to being better. Great post, Floyd. Thanks.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 10:44 am
Interesting how it ties in to your post a bit. Our society is all about feelings. In the end when the feelings is all we attempt to control, it ends up being the only thing we can’t… The principles we discipline our life to and God are the things that bring about that peace and joy. “We’re no closer to BEING better.” Well said my friend! Thanks!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 11:06 am
Great article, Floyd – you’re right – we would rather numb ourselves or “dummy it down” than deal with things straight up. I don’t drink, but once in a while I’ve thought about how nice it would be to have a drink to take the edge off 🙂 I get the really bad migraines and have hoarded a few of the REALLY EXPENSIVE treximet pills for a “rainy day” when nothing else will work. That drug IS VERY NECESSARY. Normally I don’t need anything, though – and try to work through my emotions – unmedicated 🙂
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 6:51 pm
Thanks Cindy! I sometimes eat ibuprofen for injuries and pain. On the other side of the emotional pain is usually a rainbow. Speaking of which I know that when there is high pressure it’s really tough on people with headaches. My wife has had a couple of sinus surgeries for that very thing. Not fun either way…
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 11:24 am
WoW! I guess you realized when you hit “Post” that you were opening yourself up to all kinds of comments, but I’m looking forward to reading all of them. For sure this post will make good food for thought.
I am a Christian, a retired nurse, and the wife of a doctor. This is a subject I have thought about, prayed about, and researched over many years because it is a hot topic in the Christian community and because my husband is a Christian physician, we are asked about this often. The short version comes from husband’s explanation when I asked him how he felt about drugs used to treat ADHD, depression, bi-polar disorder, etc. many, many years ago. He reminded me of the physiological reasons why some people become diabetics. There are, indeed, physiological reasons why some people need these medications. Without getting into all the “psycho/physio-babble”, let me just say that I believe God has gifted men and women with abilities to understand that there are sometimes psysiological deficits in our physical bodies and how to find alternative methods of replacing natural insulin or natural saratonin, for example, to allow people to live more productive lives. Where would the diabetic be without synthetic insulin? You can’t say that the diabetic has a right to medication, but the patient who is bi-polar or the child who has ADHD isn’t. They are both due to physiological deficits.
I do realize that my position may not be palatable either, and that’s ok; we can learn to diagree agreeably. Sin has left it’s mark on our physical bodies, that’s for sure, but it’s not just about my sin – it’s generational sin as well. For example, I come from a long line of hypertensive men and women and guess what – at 30 (something), I was diagnosed with hypertension. (My father had his first stroke at 26.) Diet and exercise did not make it go away; medication was necessary. Now before someone jumps on me, I’m not saying that my hypertensive relatives were sinful thereby causing themselves to be hypertensive. What I am saying is that there has been a breakdown of the perfect body God created in Adam because of our sinful choices since the beginning of time and that some of those choices may be the reason for the physiological changes we have seen over the years.
You know me, Floyd, I could go on and on and on…I agree that we abuse medication but I also think that there are reasons – even psychological reasons – when medication is necessary. If I am to be effective for the kingdom of God, I need to be at my best spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I am grateful for physicians who have been given the ability to improve the quality of my life.
Love topics that are relative and that get people thinking!! Thanks Floyd!!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 6:58 pm
Thanks Pat. I was actually thinking of you and your husband when I wrote this. I knew you would have a better professional opinion than me and I fully acknowledge that fact. You make a great point about diabetics. I tried to leave room for the reasonable and prudent medicines, it’s difficult to keep it short and to the point and cover everything in detail. My intent was to speak directly to the abuse of drugs. Which by the way seems to be rampant in Scottsdale AZ.
I appreciate your time and value your wisdom. You handle such matters with dignity and grace, thanks again Pat.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 2:00 pm
Good Post Floyd and good subject. I try to avoid drugs of any kind, but do take vitamins and home remedies. I have very few times of darkness, but when i do, I am usually made aware that I have drifted into a deep Pit, a black hole, a Pity Party and am simply feeling sorry for myself. Usually it is because I am overwhelmed and must set some duties aside however important they may be. When I am willing to release some of what I hold so tightly, I then find the capability to Trust.
By the way, I get ideas from you that bring up memories for my stories, so of course you are free to use anything of mine that will be of use to you.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 7:00 pm
Thanks Hazel. You hit a home run with your fences post. And thanks, I will use it. I agree with you on your analogy of holding onto things that we want to tight. That always seems to be the root of my issues for sure.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 2:45 pm
If I’m gonna get “high” on anything, I want to get high on Jesus. 🙂
And kind sir … thanks for the recent stop over at Getting Down with Jesus.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 7:02 pm
Thanks Jennifer. That really is the truth! The times of spiritual awakenings are more magical than any other thing in life. We have our senses about us and yet sense the other dimension that God is speaking to us from. Well said!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 5:56 pm
Wow, Floyd. Have you been peeking at my notes for my book “God Didn’t Make Any 2% Cows?” Just kidding. I touch on what you say, but am going a different way – the fake foods and misinformation given by so-called nutritionists and other authorities. I mean if the brain is made up of 92% fat, why in the world should we be told to cut back on it? Natural fat, that is. Not man made fats, such as margarine which is one molecule from being plastic. One last point – if Abraham gave Jesus and the two angels who came to tell him that Sarah was going to have a child, butter (or cheese) milk and meat and Jesus accepted it, how bad can it be?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 7:05 pm
It’s times like these that I’m glad we’re on the same side! You are not to be tangled with! Then again how can we argue with God’s word? I always appreciate your Biblical grounding and passion. It is contagious! Thank you my friend…
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 6:24 pm
P. S. to my comment. I was watching a cooking show one time and a guest was showing the host how to make a certain cake. She said, “Now, this recipe calls for nuts but only put 6 of them in as they are very fattening.” There are God’s nuts and there are other nuts ….
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 7:07 pm
I hear you! Unfortunately I learned the hard way by living all the years on a low fat diet, what the toll on the body is. I have no cartilage left in both knees and left shoulder. You know me, always gotta learn the hard way!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 8:49 pm
You are so precious. I know God is pleased with what you’re doing.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 10:17 pm
I hope you’re right. Thank you, I don’t mean to question you at all. I know that God is with you. I question my own motives once in a while. I hope it’s all good. I thank you as always for your support and friendship. I trust your word…
Thursday, August 11, 2011 @ 11:15 am
I crack up at those lists of warnings when they come on TV. They’re often worse than the disease they’re trying to help!
I agree that when we step outside ourselves and try to serve others that we naturally feel better. I had such a good week in July in El Salvador when my only mission was to show the love of Jesus to the people there. Now that I’m back home, I’m all distracted again by this and that.
So thanks, Floyd, for the nudge in the right direction to keep on serving.
Thursday, August 11, 2011 @ 12:30 pm
Thanks Lisa, funny that’s what I get from your posts. The encouragement we give one another is honoring to God.
Friday, August 12, 2011 @ 6:13 am
Floyd, I have been wanting to comment on this for two days but have been very hesitant. I am very passionate about this subject because I have been with families when they have gone through the worst and I know people who are taking medication daily as a way of keeping their serotonin and norepinephrine levels at a consistent level so that they can live a normal daily life. So, please know that all of this comes from the heart and is not meant as anything but a means to help people better understand.
Most people don’t realize this, but things like depression and other disorders in that realm that require medication are often actually physical, chemical imbalances in the brain. Yes, there are cases where some people are on the wrong meds for their body and therefore appear more out of it than they should and there are cases where there are people who haven’t found the right meds yet who are still depressed or whatever the case may be, however, for the majority of people who work hard to find the right meds and learn coping mechanisms and such, these meds can be life saving. If you’ve never stood in the ER hallway crying with a family whose son just killed himself or dealt with a close family member or friend who has gone through the throws of depression, you will probably not understand it as much. And we are each entitled to our opinions, however I would caution people to be very careful about passing judgement for things they don’t fully understand as each life is different and it’s hard to really know what a person is going through unless you are that person. I would also caution people not to say things like, “They should just pray more and they won’t be depressed” or “They must not have enough faith”. Comments like that can be both untrue and could cause more harm to the person who is going through it. I have a friend who is on medication but is a very Godly person and does have faith that God is taking care of them and part of that is through medication.
Like I said at the beginning of my comment, I really hope that you know this comes from the heart and from someone who has researched this a little more because of the situations I mentioned above. And again, we are all entitled to our own opinions on this matter, so I do not hold judgement on those of you who believe differently than I do. That’s why we write blogs and why we comment…we each have our own opinions on the subject. And if I was off base in what you meant by this post, I apologize for that as well and you can consider this comment as a separate matter. 🙂 Also, I agree with my mom, there are times when we abuse medication, but there are also times when it is necessary.
Friday, August 12, 2011 @ 8:07 am
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your comment April. The fact that we’re close enough through God to be able to share our opinions and heart is much more special than the topic of the day. You already know I respect and admire your opinion in all matters. I do understand your point of view. The lives I had in mind as I penned this post are the ones who have taken gifts from God and buried them under the cloud of medicine.
I also live my life with firsthand knowledge of what I write about and understand it’s a lifelong battle. Each life is different and the topic lends itself to be general in nature, but I certainly didn’t want to name names so to speak.
All that aside, you have to admit, some of those commercials are hilarious!!! We gotta keep smiling through it all…
Thanks April
Friday, August 12, 2011 @ 8:13 am
I cannot tell you how glad I am that you understood my comments and I see that maybe I misunderstood where you were coming from…hey, it happens in blogs sometimes, at least we know we’re human. 🙂
As for the commericals that mention side effects…OMGoodness, they crack me up!
Sunday, August 14, 2011 @ 3:08 pm
My grandma had a stroke this week. Her doctor said it was partially because of her medication, so she had to switch some of it- of course, it was scary- stuff like that always is. As for the smaller or less serious drugs, (Tylenol, cold medicine, etc) I’m a believer. I call all of them faith enhancers. OH MY GOODNESS, I’VE BEEN HEALED! 🙂
Sunday, August 14, 2011 @ 4:36 pm
I’ll say a prayer for your grandma. Hope she’s doing alright now. That’s serious…
Leave it to you to make me laugh at a serious subject even beyond the commercials! You certainly have a way with words!