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Confessions of a Big Pharma Rep and the abuse of drugs Printer friendly page Print This
By Gwen Olsen (video). Les Blough (commentary)
Axis of Logic
Saturday, Mar 23, 2013

In the following video, Gwen Olsen speaks of how pharmaceutical companies are committed to the maintenance of disease and disorders rather rather than to their cure. She is a former pharmaceutical representative (sales) and chances are you have seen people in her business sitting next to you in your doctor's office, waiting a turn to see the doc for the sales pitch, handing out free drug samples for use on his or her patients. Gwen describes the profits of big pharma, their methods of misinforming the public and their system for keeping people on drugs in the US pharma-medical system.

One drug category that swells profits for pharmaceutical companies, and for many people is ineffective or worse, is anti-depressants. As one who has conducted research in behavioral medicine and worked as a psychotherapist with clients suffering from depression for years, I can attest to Gwen's words that lifestyle changes and cognitive therapies are far more preferable as a long term solution for depression than the use of anti-depressant drugs. Psychologists do not and cannot legally prescribe drugs in the US but psychiatrists and other medical doctors can and do - routinely. Psychologists however are often trained and encouraged to refer clients with depression to psychiatrists for anti-depressant drugs.

Drugs are given to clients suffering from depression, and people consume them, as a "quick fix" but as Gwen says many continue to take them for life despite their deleterious effects. For decades research in behavior science has shown that exercise, dietary changes and learning to control one's thoughts are effective in combatting depression. Thoughts produce emotions and when people have difficulty with thought control, practicing meditation, creative work and play, reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, acts of forgiveness and compassion, improving personal relationships with friends and family, classes in meditation and yoga are extremely effective when dealing with depression. Anti-depressant drugs should be taken only by clients who are at a significant high risk for suicide and even then only on the short term while changing behaviors and cognitions. Also, changes in behavior, healthier eating and some herbal remedies like Red Yeast Rice are valuable alternatives for lowering cholesteral.

- Les Blough, Editor
Axis of Logic

 

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