Tag: medication | A Banana Peeled

I’m dealing with a migraine. I wasn’t able to catch it in time. More to the point, I didn’t catch it in time because I’m trying not to take the Migraine Excedrin too much every since I read it can become a trigger at some point (or at least become void and null). It hit mid-afternoon two days ago, and I quickly popped two Migraine Excedrin. It wasn’t enough, and I had a full-blown migraine yesterday. I slept on and off most of the day, unable to do anything else. I did pop two more Migraine Excedrin yesterday and two more this morning as well, so my attempt at avoiding the meds fell apart. It’s better today, but there are still some lingering effects.

Side Note: My mom is obsessed with masks. Wearing them, I mean. She wants to send me some, and she said my brother was willing to share his. My brother who is continuing to go out every day. I think I’m in more danger of getting the virus from him than in my once a week twenty-minute grocery run. I’m sure he’s practicing his due diligence because that’s the kind of guy he is, but he’s increasing his vectors on a regular basis. I’m getting stressed the fuck out by her obsession with the masks, and it’s underlying the problems with our relationship. My brother, too. They don’t know when to stop. They can believe what they want, and I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with wearing a mask. Obviously. But it’s the risks they’re willing to take versus the risks I’m willing to take. Both of them are going outside on a regular basis. I’m pretty sure my brother is going out every day. Kitted out, yes, but still going out. I, on the other hand, am going to the grocery store once a week. Other than that, I’m staying inside (except for my quick smoke breaks) and not interacting with anyone.

I am not saying I’m right or that I’m safer than they are, but I’m also not saying they’re right, either. We’re all just doing the best we can. Anyway. That’s all I feel up to writing today. Have a video of Isabelle from Animal Crossing and Doom Slayer from Doom. I don’t play either game, but I would love a crossover.

More information has come out about Chris Cornell’s death, which is now officially a suicide. His wife revealed that in her conversation with him after the concert, he was slurring his words. She said he admitted to having taken too many Ativan, an anti-anxiety medication. Concerned, she asked his bodyguard to check in on him, but the hotel wouldn’t let the bodyguard into Cornell’s room. So, he kicked the door down and found Cornell unresponsive with a belt around his neck.

It’s a tragedy for so many reasons, but I want to focus on a comment I saw on Facebook after this news was revealed. The comment was, “This is why I don’t trust Big Pharma.” It was written by a friend of a FB friend, so I didn’t respond, but it made my hackles raise. There are many reasons not to trust Big Pharma, but this isn’t one of them. The side effects of Ativan are well-known, and it’s pretty basic knowledge not to exceed the recommended dosage without input from your doctor. I want to make it clear I am not saying Cornell deserved what happened because I fully understand wanting desperately to feel normal and grabbing at anything that will do that for you. Our society has become anxiety-producing on its own, and it’s swimming upstream to remain calm in chaotic surroundings. In addition, creative types usually are extra-sensitive to external stimuli, which is one reason they’re so susceptible to self-medicating.

My point is, there is only so much a doctor or anyone can do if the person is determined not to follow the instructions. Drugs can work for people, but there are so many ways they can be misused. If someone is determined to take twice the dose, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. It’s the same with, say, seat belts. You can put them in the car, but you can’t force people to wear them.

My bigger point is that there is a swath of people who believe in being natural at all costs. They think society is too medicated, and they eschew any kind of pill to help what ails them. Now, there is more than a grain of truth to the idea that pills are not a whole solution, but only part of it, but they think any medication is of the devil. The same people eschew GMOs and many of them are part of the anti-vaxxer crowd. It’s an anathema to me because the same people are using cellphones and driving cars and are on the internet with impunity. I realize there’s a difference between technology you use and things you ingest, but it’s still the same science behind all of it. It’s weird to me to want to roll back time on certain things, but not others.

Back to meds. As someone who’s dealt with chronic and crippling depression all my life, it’s frustrating to hear people disparage antidepressants and saying anyone who uses them is weak. My other favorite, “It’s dealing with the symptoms and not the cause,” in a snobby, smug voice. I think part of the problem is that if you’ve never experienced deep depression, you cannot understand how pervasive it is. If something can alleviate it, just a little bit, you’ll sell your soul for it. It’s the same with anxiety which can be more immediately worse. In the middle of a panic attack, you will do anything to stop it. Yes, you’ll want to deal with the root of the problem, but that can take years if not decades. A temporary stop-gap while in the middle of the pain is a godsend. In addition, there are chemical reasons for depression and/or anxiety, and ain’t no shame in correcting that malfunction with better science. Here is a well-worn comparison, but if you broke your leg, you probably would go to the doctor to get a cast for it. You wouldn’t think, “Oh, it’ll just mend by itself if I drink enough hemp milk and eat enough quinoa.” No, you’d get a cast on that damn thing pretty damn quick. So why when you hear that someone’s brain chemistry is broken do you disparage them using something that will heal that break?

Tag Archives: medication

My head is split

Natural Vs. Man-made: The Tension Between