Is our society so awful that we need drugs to survive?

[leftyladyfrommo]

I'm wondering about it.

I have been having to take drugs for anxiety for years and years. Anxiety due to so much pressure at work - I think mostly.

But I don't want to be on drugs any more. I just would love to be able to just be me.

[LynzM]

1. Sorry to hear that, LL

:hug: I read the other day that something like 16% of adults suffer from some anxiety disorder. That statistic makes me very sad. Yeah, I think there is a lot of fear and stress in the way that we live... I wish it weren't so, but I don't know how to fix it. I do know that reading some Taoist stuff helps me in bits and pieces to just go with the flow. Tao of Pooh is a nice book :)

Any chance you could make a big change and find a different job, if you really feel that that's a big part of your anxiety?

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. well, i am currently jobless so that is one of my hopes -

to find some kind of work that won't kill me.

I went back to work for 6 months and found the atmosphere to be just awful. All the young people think of themselves as "players" and are mostly just horrible to try and work with.

There has to be someplace where people can just be themselves. Keeping a mask on 10 hours a day so that no one will know what you are really thinking is no way to live.

[LynzM]

4. What kind of work are you looking for?

And of course, best of luck to you in your job-hunt! :)

[leftyladyfrommo]

10. something different.

I am a real estate processor and closer. And I am just sick of it.

[Deep13]

3. Yes. Our lives are entirely unnatural.

Humans did not evolve to live in cubicals, soak up flourescent light, breathe car exhaust or eat crap. We have been disconnected from the natural earth, our whole lives are in an artificial construct, and our physchology naturally suffers for it.

[El Fuego]

6. That's the way I look at it.

We sometimes need unnatural little helpers to deal with wholly unnatural conditions.

[underpants]

5. No-every society has had drugs of one sort or another

ever since someone ran across the first barrel of fermented fruit :beer:. Hell look up the Boxer rebellion-England fought to keep the opium business OPEN in China (China was trying to kick them out).

http://www.answers.com/topic/boxer-rebellion

[anarch]

7. drugs are part of our society

part of nature, even. Probably not prescription anti-anxiety drugs, though. I recommend meditation and exercise...the combination does wonders for one's general sense of well-being.

[Loonman]

8. Society is way over-medicated

I wonder how people were able to cope 100 years ago.

Sometimes I think some drugs were invented to keep us alive longer, and subsequently medicated longer.

[Lilith Velkor]

11. 100 years ago heroin, pot and coke were legal

Good thing we have a huge police state now, so we're safe from all that.

Say, you wouldn't happen to have any Xanax on you, would ya?

[StopTheMorans]

12. any government policy that protects me from weed-smoking hippies

is a good policy :thumbsup:

[Lilith Velkor]

13. Lovely, now fuck off and get me some smack!

[NJCher]

9. Quit the job and find something more fulfilling

I only make a fraction of what I used to make but I'm happy as a lark. I dumped corporate webmastering for being a college teacher and I love it. It allows me plenty of time for organic gardening. I have to work a heavy course load to make it work, but that's OK.

In the words of idiot boy, it's "hard werk" and I'm "makin' good progress."


Cher