During a lazy Sunday walk in an alley in the center of Athens, I came across a wall with a phrase written on it: 'I want Xanax'. This may pass unnoticed by most, and others may laugh, but to mental health professionals the phrase may bring to mind a variety of implications. Currently, medication conserning mental health has become quite popular to the general public, up to the point that plenty of people remain under pharmacotherapy.
As extensive research has revealed, when it comes to psychological illness, medication is a necessary component of treatment. This is because mental illness is just like any other biological disorder: some aspect of the physiology is altered and medication helps in bringing it back to normal (desired) levels.
Still, when no disorder is present, pharmacotherapy is not necessary, and it may even have negative effects on the physiological regulation of the person. Thus, healthy individuals should not receive medication concerning mental health, because this may have adverse effects, as well as side effects, and because it can become quite addictive.
Any medicine is designed to alleviate specific symptoms of a specific disorder by targeting their biological causes; they interfere with the specific biological process that causes the disorder, thus allowing the person to have the biochemical compounds of the body neutralized in a way. This of course, is in case there is a disorder, or at least a severe symptomatology present. Because in the absense of that, medication acts in an 'extra' way- it adds certain compounds where they exist already or it removes compounds where they are already low, to state it as simply as possible. This situation may lead to adverse effects than the desired ones. For example, antipsychotic medication could lead to psychotic symptoms, antianxiety medication could cause, irronically, more anxiety, even feelings of terror, and antidepressing treatment could lead to mood swings and exhaustion.
On top of that, medication conserning mental health has unfortunately plenty of side effects. These are the necessary harm for those who need it to remain functional, yet they appear more and in a more severe form to those who do not need treatment. For example antipsychotic medication could increase the risk for seizure, the one targeting anxiety could cause drowsiness during the day, and antidepressive drugs could lead to a decrease in the sexual drive, and nightmares. Those are just a few side effects- it should be noted that every type of medication, and every specific drug has some aftereffect, ranging from the psychological to the biological level. The less the medication is necessary, the greater the aftermath.
Last but not least, medication for mental illness is highly addictive. The organism gets used to it, thus needs increasing amounts and more often. Moreover, if one regularly uses drugs, and suddenly quits, he/ she will experience withdrawal effects- the organism will 'miss' the drug and will crave for it, causing symptoms similar to the ones that actual drugs, like heroin, have upon stopping them, ranging from sleeping problems, excessive sweating, to anxiety and body pain.
It is easy to understand why a person would choose to take medication, even in the absence of a disorder. It can easily alleviate and smooth a negative state, while at the same time, since it is actual medication, it is considered socially acceptable (unlike harmful drugs, or even alcohol). To add up to that, some mental health professionals (such as psychiatrists or psychologists) put their own monetary interest above the well being of their client, thus propose medication when it is not needed (either for their own profit, or to create a fast change in the client). This situation, combined with the general tendency of the society towards any type of medication, for a quick alleviation, has lead many people to take drugs concerning mental health.
Still, people should not make such a decision easily. There are plenty of things one could do before ending up taking a drug that is not suitable for them. A first step is to consult a psychiatrist, and get educated on the symptoms that exist, and on the medication itself. Another step is to search the medication alone, through the internet- read information from reliable websites (such as the World Health Organization, or the national health organization of each specific country), or read- with caution- the experiences of others through blogs. Yet, the easiest way to get informed is by reading the directions listed on the box of each drug in detail. But most of all, one should dare to stare into the reasons that have lead them to decide that they need medication in the first place. Whether this means psychotherapy or a personal introspection (depending on the issue at hand), the best solution is to target the source of a problem, not simply alleviate its outcomes for a brief period of time.
To conclude, medication is fundamental and extremely helpful to those who suffer from a disorder, but it is unnecessary to the healthy population. The most dangerous part is not the drug itself, but the lack of knowledge and the misuse that this brings along.
Upon searching the word Xanax in the images of Google, little appear about the medication, whereas many images are revealed showing happy people wearing t- shirts with logos such as 'I love Xanax' on them. This alone shows that drugs concerning mental health have become overly popular and somewhat of a trend. Drugs are neither to be loved nor hated- they are just necessary sometimes. Neither the ones suffering from a disorder, nor the healthy ones should over- depend upon them. Instead, all should focus on working with the self, and evolving it with genuine care- this is the ultimate and long term solution that offers the maximum comfort.
During a Sunday walk in the center of Athens, I came across a wall with the phrase 'I want Xanax' written on it. This brough all sorts of questionning to mind. Yet during that same walk, only a little while later, I saw another wall, with a larger phrase written on it: 'Smile!'- and maybe this is the greatest advice of all.
Literature: P. Chartokollis, 1991. Introduction to Psychiatry, Athens, Themelio; L. Heiden, M Hersen, 2011. Introduction to Clinical Psychology, Athens, Pedio; A. Xristopoulou, 2008. Introduction to the Adult Psychopathology, Athens, Topos.
Still, when no disorder is present, pharmacotherapy is not necessary, and it may even have negative effects on the physiological regulation of the person. Thus, healthy individuals should not receive medication concerning mental health, because this may have adverse effects, as well as side effects, and because it can become quite addictive.
Any medicine is designed to alleviate specific symptoms of a specific disorder by targeting their biological causes; they interfere with the specific biological process that causes the disorder, thus allowing the person to have the biochemical compounds of the body neutralized in a way. This of course, is in case there is a disorder, or at least a severe symptomatology present. Because in the absense of that, medication acts in an 'extra' way- it adds certain compounds where they exist already or it removes compounds where they are already low, to state it as simply as possible. This situation may lead to adverse effects than the desired ones. For example, antipsychotic medication could lead to psychotic symptoms, antianxiety medication could cause, irronically, more anxiety, even feelings of terror, and antidepressing treatment could lead to mood swings and exhaustion.
On top of that, medication conserning mental health has unfortunately plenty of side effects. These are the necessary harm for those who need it to remain functional, yet they appear more and in a more severe form to those who do not need treatment. For example antipsychotic medication could increase the risk for seizure, the one targeting anxiety could cause drowsiness during the day, and antidepressive drugs could lead to a decrease in the sexual drive, and nightmares. Those are just a few side effects- it should be noted that every type of medication, and every specific drug has some aftereffect, ranging from the psychological to the biological level. The less the medication is necessary, the greater the aftermath.
Last but not least, medication for mental illness is highly addictive. The organism gets used to it, thus needs increasing amounts and more often. Moreover, if one regularly uses drugs, and suddenly quits, he/ she will experience withdrawal effects- the organism will 'miss' the drug and will crave for it, causing symptoms similar to the ones that actual drugs, like heroin, have upon stopping them, ranging from sleeping problems, excessive sweating, to anxiety and body pain.
It is easy to understand why a person would choose to take medication, even in the absence of a disorder. It can easily alleviate and smooth a negative state, while at the same time, since it is actual medication, it is considered socially acceptable (unlike harmful drugs, or even alcohol). To add up to that, some mental health professionals (such as psychiatrists or psychologists) put their own monetary interest above the well being of their client, thus propose medication when it is not needed (either for their own profit, or to create a fast change in the client). This situation, combined with the general tendency of the society towards any type of medication, for a quick alleviation, has lead many people to take drugs concerning mental health.
Still, people should not make such a decision easily. There are plenty of things one could do before ending up taking a drug that is not suitable for them. A first step is to consult a psychiatrist, and get educated on the symptoms that exist, and on the medication itself. Another step is to search the medication alone, through the internet- read information from reliable websites (such as the World Health Organization, or the national health organization of each specific country), or read- with caution- the experiences of others through blogs. Yet, the easiest way to get informed is by reading the directions listed on the box of each drug in detail. But most of all, one should dare to stare into the reasons that have lead them to decide that they need medication in the first place. Whether this means psychotherapy or a personal introspection (depending on the issue at hand), the best solution is to target the source of a problem, not simply alleviate its outcomes for a brief period of time.
To conclude, medication is fundamental and extremely helpful to those who suffer from a disorder, but it is unnecessary to the healthy population. The most dangerous part is not the drug itself, but the lack of knowledge and the misuse that this brings along.
Upon searching the word Xanax in the images of Google, little appear about the medication, whereas many images are revealed showing happy people wearing t- shirts with logos such as 'I love Xanax' on them. This alone shows that drugs concerning mental health have become overly popular and somewhat of a trend. Drugs are neither to be loved nor hated- they are just necessary sometimes. Neither the ones suffering from a disorder, nor the healthy ones should over- depend upon them. Instead, all should focus on working with the self, and evolving it with genuine care- this is the ultimate and long term solution that offers the maximum comfort.
During a Sunday walk in the center of Athens, I came across a wall with the phrase 'I want Xanax' written on it. This brough all sorts of questionning to mind. Yet during that same walk, only a little while later, I saw another wall, with a larger phrase written on it: 'Smile!'- and maybe this is the greatest advice of all.
Literature: P. Chartokollis, 1991. Introduction to Psychiatry, Athens, Themelio; L. Heiden, M Hersen, 2011. Introduction to Clinical Psychology, Athens, Pedio; A. Xristopoulou, 2008. Introduction to the Adult Psychopathology, Athens, Topos.
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