It is interesting how big pharmaceutical companies are competing in advertising.  You cannot watch a TV program these without seeing ads in the middle of the program about a psychological disorder drug.  What is devastating is that the ads never elaborate on any side effects of such drugs. Historically, the pharmaceutical companies generate the information that will bring in more money and hind important information like side effects. By doing this people believed in these drugs and ended up experiencing harmful effects such as suicide.

In my view, it is essential to consider other factors before using medication for the treatment of psychopathology. Any possible side effect should be evaluated with the patient. In addition, the behaviour of the patient should also be considered. As discussed in class, some behaviours are cultural and not because of any disorder. You can guess the effects of treating a cultural behaviour. There will be no improvement and it can lead to the patient getting worried and depressed. The use of psychostimulants can cause serious side effects such as depression, rapid heartbeat, seizure, and paranoia among others. Rarely do the big pharmaceutical companies include this information in the ads. All they care about is making more sales and side effects such as depression is better for them in increasing sales.

In this century, advertising is the major marketing policy used by the pharmaceutical companies.  The issue is people are different and respond to problems and medication differently. However, after watching the ads, people tend to think that just because a drug is portrayed to have helped many people it will help them. These ads have made people so insecure to an extent that people feel sick when they are not (Schulz, 2004). The symptoms portrayed in these ads may be normal to someone but after watching the ad, they will think they are sick.

The big pharmaceutical companies are just manipulating people by making them believe they have a problem. As Schulz (2004) says, people have not gotten sick; they have just defined what is ailing them as a disease. The psychopathic disorders are not contagious but communicable. The pharmaceutical companies have consistently communicated the message that what you are suffering from might be a sickness.

I cannot refute that the psychotropic medications are necessary but only when the condition is well diagnosed. The treatment has helped some people but it has also ruined the life of others. Some sufferings are mental and people need to just believe they do not have them.

References
Getzfeld, A., & Schwartz, S. (2013).  Abnormal psychology: DSM-5 update . San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Educatio

Schulz, K. (2004, August).  Did antidepressants depress Japan? The New York Times. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/magazine/did-antidepressants-depress-japan.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

Response to John Smith

Great argument john, the pharmaceutical companies are just manipulating the people into believing they are sick and need medication. Every medication has the good and bad side and I believe it is the responsibility of the recipient to weigh the situation and make a decision. The pharmaceutical companies concentrate on the good side of the medication giving the people no chance to decide.  8in addition, these the pharmaceutical companies have made it known to the people that whatever suffering they have might be a sickness. This makes people worried increasing the suffering and they believe they are sick. People end up undergoing these medications not because they are sick but because they were made to believe they are sick (Schulz, 2004). Though to some extent, these medications have helped some people, it has the situation worse for others.  Some behaviors do not need medication; all they need is counseling and the use of Cognitive Behaviourism techniques. These will prevent people from becoming addicted to drugs.

References
Getzfeld, A., & Schwartz, S. (2013).  Abnormal psychology: DSM-5 update . San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Educatio

Schulz, K. (2004, August).  Did antidepressants depress Japan? The New York Times. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/magazine/did-antidepressants-depress-japan.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

Response to Jessica Clinkinbeard

Great views Jessica, the pharmaceutical market is very corrupt. As Schulz (2004) says, depression was a bad word in Japan. However, with time people have embraced the medication for depression resulting to huge financial success of the pharmaceutical companies. To them, Japan was untapped market. GlaxoSmithKline ran a 7 months ad campaign and attracted 110,000 consultations (Schulz, 2004). This just shows the effect the ads have on the people.

Drugs as you say are not bad; they have actually been of help to some people. The issue is the next generation of adults might be drug addicts.  We have introduced drugs to our children too early. Every slight problem is rushed to the doctor and if drugs are not prescribed, we tend to think that the doctor is not competent. The drugs we so much want to be prescribed to our children might be the sole cause of the real problem.  They can cause depression as a side effect and then we rush back to the doctor for the treatment of depression, which in turn causes another side effect.  In real sense, we are making life harder for our children instead of helping them.

References
Getzfeld, A., & Schwartz, S. (2013).  Abnormal psychology: DSM-5 update . San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Educatio

Schulz, K. (2004, August).  Did antidepressants depress Japan? The New York Times. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/magazine/did-antidepressants-depress-japan.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

Response to Amy McGalin

Hi Amy,

Sorry about your son, you just did what you thought was best for your son but it backfired. Have you tried counseling or the Cognitive Behaviourism techniques? They are better than medication for they have no side effects. At least you have a firsthand experience with the manipulation being done by the pharmaceutical companies. Have you noticed how rampant they are in advertising, billboards and television commercials are very regular. If their real aim is to help people, then why advertise the drug? If I get sick, I will definitely consult a doctor and get the right drug prescribed not because it is being advertised but because I am sick. They are just advertising to instil fear in people and increase sales.

Do not let your judgement be clouded by doubts. Some people do have serious problems but medication is not their sole saviour. Therapy and exercise can be a good start. In the Schulz article, Mitake was taking antidepressants.  However, his problem disappeared after fasting. His fasting was some kind of therapy (Schulz, 2004). However, he does not recommend the same to people because we are different.

References

Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. (2002). American Psychologist, 57(12), 1060-1073. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.57.12.1060.

Schulz, K. (2004, August).  Did antidepressants depress Japan? The New York Times. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/magazine/did-antidepressants-depress-japan.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

 
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