According to TV commercials and spam mail, all the love problems can be fixed with a little medication.

     I am amazed to learn from television commercials that all Americans need is one more pill. We have been barraged with ads that promise to pump up men, pep up female libido, calm us down, and provide safety in our forays with the opposite sex. There is a pill for depression and the same one for "social anxiety."  If I believed the commercials, I would think that there was danger that the next generation would go unborn.    
     But then, there are those ads about the pregnancy tests, AIDs tests, and contraceptives, so I know that someone somewhere is still able to perform, and not being very picky about their partners.  Thank you!  Did I really want to know that about so many strangers?

          In addition, there are all those mystery drugs where people swirl around romantically.  They say, "Ask your doctor if _____________ is right for YOU."  We have no clue whether it's a remedy for thinning hair, losing weight, or libido enhancement.  Still, I prefer those to the honesty drug ads where they list so many side affects that the original condition sounds benign. And how about that weight loss pill?  "If you have less than $30 pounds to lose, this pill is way too expensive for you." Does that really make folks pick up the phone and eagerly put their credit cards on the line?
     Maybe you remember an ad where a man and a woman sit in twin tubs looking out at a spectacular view.  I think that if a couple flies to that tranquil setting, they won't need a pill at all to feel chemistry.   In fact, just book hubby & me a suite in Cancun, and romance is sure to follow!  And we're old as rocks.  Do all those young people in those ads have that much difficulty?  Get a babysitter, for crying out loud, shut off the cell phones, have a candlelit dinner and talk.  Invest in a little relationship connection, and the physical part should follow naturally.

     I don't mean to ridicule people that have a physical performance problem.  But if there is something not happening that should happen naturally, shouldn't we check to see what's the cause?  Is it physical or relational?  Pills won't make up for steps we have skipped in esteem and regard for one another.  And if the problem is physical, it would surely warrant some serious testing. 
    And regarding depression--if we're depressed, shouldn't we see whether there is an underlying condition, physical or emotional , or some positive reflection or new goals to be attained that would help before we reach for a bottle? Good grief, if I'm depressed because I need to pay off my bills or apologize to my mother, no pill in the world will ease my pain.  If I'm depressed because I'm developing diabetes, and the sugar changes affect my mood,I better have a sharp doc and maybe some insulin. 

    I'm especially fond of the commercials about the pill for more energy.  "People are tired and stressed...life takes energy...so take______"   Artificial energy causes additional stress to the body, I say.  Slow down.  Take a nap--or drink some java , if you must self-medicate.  Speeding up is not the answer, though, if your body is crying out for rest. 

     Another aspect of all this drug advertising is that it trivializes serious conditions.  I know bi-polar people who don't dare adjust their meds without some expert tweaking, and people whose depression is a complex medical problem. Try to tell them that if they had only tried Miracal Cure, they could have cut through all that therapy!  Of course!  Why didn't they think of that sooner?

     I guess it all comes down to the hierarchy of trust.  I trust my friends and family before I trust the medical profession.    And I trust my doctor before I trust the drug companies. There truly is a time for medical intervention, but since we can't self-prescribe anyway, we should really pinpoint the problem before relying on those little white tablets. When my son starts saying, "Gee, mom, maybe you should see a doctor about these screaming fits you've been having," I usually consult my husband, then my girlfriends, then my doc.  We often decide that medicating the son would ease my screaming a great deal, but maybe some travel therapy will suffice.

     Travel therapy...any quiet spot with running water will do.  To me, that's the cure for depression and everything else.