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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud Deplorable who wrote (60079)	10/13/2004 4:50:22 AM
From: Solon	Respond to of 89467

Clearly. you have an ax to grind. "Benzos are used in nursing homes for one main purpose, to control patients by numbing them to the point that they almost can't walk, can't remember their names or family and are far removed from their original personalities. Benzos turn people into zombies..." _________________________________ "Thus benzodiazepines were used primarily for sleep, not behavioral control. The association between residents' demand and chronic use is consistent with previous investigations of demand in community and hospital settings (23,24). Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine whether demand causes chronic use or whether chronic use induces dependence, poorer sleep, and further demand (4). Prospective studies are needed to assess how chronic use develops and why some residents are more likely, after other risk factors have been controlled for, to demand their medication" psychservices.psychiatryonline.org I will stick with the psychiatric studies rather than your hyperbolic generalities if you don't mind. "These people, most of whom are elderly anyway do not fully understand what these drugs do and that can hardly be called informed consent." "Bivariate results showed that benzodiazepine prescription rates were significantly higher for residents who were under 85 years of age, those who did not have dementia, and those who had depression, pain, or sleep problems" ___________________________ "Yes you are right, I am in favor of severely curtailing the use of these drugs in all but extremely severe cases and sorry, but 10% of the population is not in extreme danger of dying if they don't have them" You entirely miss the point. It is none of your business what competent people decide to value in their life. It is not for you to say that DYING is the only justification for breaking one of YOUR rules. Screw your rules and your intrusiveness. If I am in a nursing home, my doctor and I will decide how I kill my pain, how I ease my sleep, and how I alleviate my suffering. "I'm not judging them at all. I am trying to help people get off them" Poppycock. You are trying to impose values and control the free choices people make. "It certainly DOES matter that people in benzo withdrawal realize that if they were prescribed the drugs for a medical condition that they are not to look upon themselves as addicts" I have said repeatedly that "addiction" and "dependency" is baby talk. People who will not take responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and choices still have the choice to enter a program or a church or sit by Walden's Pond in the hope that Emerson might visit. "I do think most doctors that turn patients into unknowing drug addicts should be sued" There is such a thing as malpractice. But you act as though people had neither rights, reponsibility, nor accountability. You want doctors to be accountable but I suppose you think all the billions of dollars of prescription drugs are being purchased by those ubiquitous "zombies"! "Benzos are prescribed and cigarettes are not. Big difference." Cigarettes used to be prescribed. I doubt they still are, though. But in any event your statement makes no point. Cigarettes are non prescription drugs. People can choose not to smoke and people can QUIT smoking...as I did a decade ago. And I was smoking if I was awake....just about every damn minute. So don't even try to yammer that baby talk with me. You are not trying to "severely curtail" drugs because of your nobility. You are fighting some private demon of your own. It is none of your business whether other people take valium, do yoga, or comply with your own personal list of compulsive values. Other people are not you. You will not take their place on their death bed so you have no right to preach to anyone how they ought to live. And this animus against doctors hardly flatters you. I think that many prescriptions are useless or harmful...but I have no business telling YOU what to believe or what to take. Well...eat less bread and walk a little more--but only if it suits your personal values...