Medication -- When Escapism Should Be Prioritized
Updated: Jun 22

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It amuses me how easily one can escape from their problems by using medications for them. Are you easily distracted? Take pills that help you focus. Do you suffer from a low libido? Take performance-enhancing pills.
Are you easily stressed and anxious? Take some calming pills. That really is the "philosophy" of modern psychiatry. It doesn't matter if your problems could be solved through consultation alone, through meditation, through exercise, or whatever.
Get a prescription, and should it be effective enough to stabilize your mentality and wellbeing, then little else is needed.
It is funny how "simple" it all is. Lately I've been given a prescription that forces me to take an emergency pill as well as a regular one, and ever since then, I've been much, much less angry, anxious, or stressed. Escapism is often seen as cowardly, as the "easy route", as a way to avoid things.
However, I must ask -- what should we do if escapism is far, far more effective, both in time and cost, to the point that, all you need to do to attain peace, is to take some pills regularly?
Have you heard of Occam's Razor? This idea says that, between the two possibilities at hand, the simplest one is the correct one.
Of course, this isn't always true, as reality is often more complex than it seems, but if you think about it, this philosophical concept could be applied to our life choices as well.
In other words -- when faced with two choices in life, that serve as a possible solution to your problem, choose the one that is either the most cost-efficient, the most time-efficient, or both.
Many of our problems, arguably, come from our mental state. They come from our tendency to be stressed, to make bad decisions, and other flaws that are related to our mentality. After all, why do we say so much, some of us, that we are not perfect? We are not perfect, because we have many flaws.
Now, what if I said that, you could improve your flawed state, not by self-improvement, self-help, or even extra interpersonal relationships? All some of us, including myself, need is a regular dose of certain chemicals, that will far-more improve our mental state, even if it's only until the next time the dose will be consumed.
Some of us are against paying extra taxes for welfare. Some people think that it is enough to support those who "really" as they say, need it. People with physical disabilities primarily; those that require them to use wheelchairs, extra-personnel, a specialized dog for the blind, and so on.
However, what these people fail to realize is, that pills are as important a utility to some people as they are to any other disabled person! Having a disability doesn't mean that you must use a cane, a wheelchair, or any other obvious feature!
I can't live in another country even if I wanted to, because my condition does not allow me to work, and should I live in another country, I will eventually find myself without a penny to even buy groceries and the very pills I need to preserve my good health.
In fact, I can't go anywhere for more than a day without my pills, because that would mean that my wellbeing would be in jeopardy.
This is how disabled I am, to the point that I can't navigate my country, let alone the world, without certain medications. If I am not as disabled as a person with a cane, even though I don't need a cane to walk, then I don't know what I am.
Prescribed pills could possibly solve your mental problems, even for a specific duration of time, as they are the easiest way to do so. The alternative to pills is either intense therapy or hospitalization for I don't know how long.
In other words, we shouldn't, in our various philosophies of life, underestimate the power of the "easy way", when that easy way can save us much, much unnecessary suffering.
Even if it means that you will be dependent for life on these prescribed drugs, it is at least a better "verdict" than finding yourself in constant agony and, possibly, under the looming threat of suicide or self-harm.
People shouldn't feel ashamed when there is an opportunity for them to say that they take medication. It's simply a utility for much of the world's population. It is a utility like a cane, like a wheelchair, like a dog for the blind, like sign language to the deaf.
People, shouldn't be ashamed of themselves, for taking pills, for their own wellbeing. Unless you purposefully overdose, there is really nothing wrong with it.
People should not feel bad for being mentally ill, especially if the condition is genetic, and they should not feel ashamed for attempting to navigate, endure, and survive in the same way that a physically handicapped man or woman does!!

Human technology itself is imperfect. These pills are not magical potions that will heal your wounds forever.
Those who are prescribed medication, have a high likelihood of needing these pills, for the rest of their lives, just like I do, just like my mother does, and just like my grandparents needed to before they passed away.
This is a serious problem that should not be seen with shame, because when it comes to your own wellbeing, and the possibility of that wellbeing becoming severed -- the easy route could be, sometimes, much more effective.
So, next time a neighbor ruins your mood with their yelling, consider getting a prescription if your emotional condition could deteriorate, because of your neighbor. Without the pills, at least in my case, there are two routes:
Yell in anger and risk harm, or take some pills to stabilize your emotional state. With them, it should be arguable that one should retreat to the mountains in complete solitude -- your biggest enemy could be, at times, your mental state. Why, then, not solve it for a while, when possible?