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Show 1T1Zens A Philosophically IndependentJournal of Opinion Written by Utah's Citizens West Edition Salt Lake City, Utah Wednesday, September 24, 1997 Utah’s pervasive drug culture is largely a legitimized one Utahleads the nationin use of emotion-altering prescription drugs. Whatis the cause of thesefrightening figures, and more importantly, whatare the consequences? that alters brain chemistry Gun p severe withdrawal symptoms. Doctors are busy. many prefer to deal only with those symptomsthey can easily treat. They beentaught in medical school that psy chiatry has all the answers that physical medicine doesn't have. so when a patient has an ail ment not readily diagnosed, it’s easy to label By RUTH LEHENBAUR Logan it as stress-related. The treatment for that is — what else? an antidepressant. Many doctors simply don’t know about the draw In recent years, Utah has had the dubious distinction of being rated highest in the backs of these psychoactive drugs or think nation in consumption ofsugar, ice cream that side effects are rare or insignificant and marshmallows. Now the newspapers Ofparticular concernis the increased use of prescription drugs on children. 1 have have announced that Utah has the frighten- ing honorof being first in the use of mind- heard stories fromaround the nation about altering prescription drugs — six timesthe schoolcounselors pressuring parents to per mit medication to help their children behave national average in Prozac alone. WN Is there a connection between the rate of prescriptiondruguse andthe highrate ofillegal druguseinourstate?It is widely known. that manyprescription drugslike Prozac and Ritalin are addictive and are sometimes sold onthestreet to those whocan’tgive them up whentheir prescriptions run out. better in class or relieve personal anxiety It is too tempting to use a simple pill lo solve the problem of a hyperactive child some ofthese children have bad reactions or end up “graduating” to street drugs. The most common offender right now is Ritalin. but other prescription drugs are moving I've heard a numberofreasons for these . such as, “Mormons can’t use onto the school scene. Prozac. Xanex and others like them may be chosen as the answer to emotional problems resulting street drugs, so they take prescription drugs.”or, “People here live with a lot of frompeerpressureor family discord No one is immunefrom the ravages of depression. Any life stress can bring it on anxiety fromsocial pressures.” The first of these excuses implies ignorance and the boa eS 3 ethot ataeaoeoe secondimplies pride . is Utah highest in the nationin these categories as well? Pride is something this editorial can’t fix, but it They generally like Process patients on a time schedule can certainly work on ignorance. Some readers may not know that many street drugs — cocaine, LSD, etc. — were once touted as the latest medical wonders, safe for use in mindresearchor in treatment ofanxiety and depression. The same phar- However, Ann Tracy’s book, Prozac. Panacea or Pandora,states that drugs are generallytested foronly a five- to six-week period, hardly enough to see long-term results. And guess whotests them? The companies that make them, ofcourse. And whosits on the FDA panelthat evaluates maceutical companies that gave us these the drugs? Often it is “experts” whohave an and other destructive drugs like thalido- interest in the profits, but sign statements personality, or are committing suicide, homicide or other criminal acts in increas- ing numbers. wonders to what extent such drugs contribute to road rage and other formsof dis- mide, Oraflex and methadone now promote promising to be objective Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Luvox. Tracy notes that mind-altering drugs — boththe legally prescribed and street varis — cancause long-term damagetothe chemical processes, and the statisdrugsare suffering with addictions,altered normal production cycle of serotonin, the brain chemical that keeps us on an even drugs are both effective and safe, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims they have been thoroughly tested. tics are piling up: Patients using “legal” Whenserotonin piles up, we feel good, but when the body sensesit has enough, it One of Prozac’s reported side effects is unrestrained sex drive leading to promiscuity, which can be dangerous for teens. One cordin society today. Warnings about these side effects may or may not be listed in the literature accompanying a prescription. Most antidepressants work in a similar fashion and are potentially dangerous. Tracy explains that such drugs interrupt the Salespeople from the pharmaceutical companies assure the doctors that these keel, causing it to “back up” inthe brain. tends to shut down production. This is a recipe for trouble: An imbalanceis effected and patients may experience adverse reactions, especially if they stop taking the drug. Adverse reactions can occurlong after the fact. Ironically, when doctors see the with- drawal symptoms, they may prescribe still higher dosestohelp distressedpatients. Tostress the importance ofthis danger, Tracy warns that those now using antide- trauma, sickness. fatigue. old age. allergies. drugs. Our challenge is to find ways to alle: viate the stress without the disadvantages of dangerous side effects. Natural remedies are coming to light as moreresearchis done: The B vitamin com plex (known as nature's tranquilizer). a well-balanced diet with rest and exercise: and a strong support group especially a loving family — can all work wonders. We may one day look back on the widespread use of antidepressants the same way we nowlookback on the misguided practice of bleeding patients. pressants should nor stop taking them sud- Maybethe highuseof sugary foods plays a part in the Utah phenomenon: excessive Comingdowntooquickly off any substance See DRUGS on Page 2 denly, but reduce dosages very gradually. Princess Diana’s death left empty space and many unanswered questions Public bears some Whydid the world weep for responsibility for Diana? She connected with us Diana’s death Thoughonlya fewpeople actually knewher, the late Princess of Wales was mourned bymillions To prevent paparazzi-induced tragediesinthefuture, the public needs to curbits appetitefor celebrity photographs. whoempathized with her triumphsand tragedies. By FRANS J. KOHLSCHEIN By S. Tim CHOU,Jr. SANDY Satt Lake Crry I have been dumbfounded by my After the tragic accident in Paris that took the lives of the beloved Princess Diana and those whoaccompanied her, many amongusare trying to put the events before and after into perspec- own grief for this stranger to me. | heard another person comment about short life to others wassoabruptly taken away. In order to cope with the injustice ofit, we, in typi- with, he had felt less sadness than whenhe had heard of Diana’s death. He was bewildered and confused. A web author wrote: “We looked how,when a neighbor died whom he tive. Somepeopleare havingdifficulties trying to comprehend why a person whodedicated her Some havedirected their anger towardthe English royal family; others blamed the driver and those who employedhim. Most people have — with some degree ofjustification — blamed the freelance photographers and the media whopaid for the productsoftheir labor. Asin any profession, the majority of photographers are just hardworking people with the same gifts and needsastherest of society. But — as in any profession —there are among them people without conscience or scruples whowill do anything for money. Mostofthe people whoare experiencingright- eous indignation aboutthe paparazziin particular and the news media in general would never think of carrying some ofthe blame themselves. The fact remains that without the consumers directly or indirectly paying their share for the written newsas well as the “newsworthy”pictures, there would not be any reason for the photographers to chase their prey. Modern society has an insatiablethirst for excite ment. It appearsthat the entertainmentofyesterday is fast becoming mundane, and we seek more unusual waystopass our ever-increasing free time Hence the media, in their quest to improveratings and please their stockholders, is becoming more and more innovative in supplying the public with that excitement, and are often blinded as to whatis appropriate. Their goal is tobe the first to please the public, no matter whatit takes, In oursearch for more exiting entertainment we if not to possibility of living “happily ever after.” We wanted that for her and. for ourselves, We connected, too, when we1 ized that anyone with good sense could seethat & 20-year-old is clue less andnaive, and could not post bly haveforeseen what life would be like marriedto a stiff and reten tive egotist- Weall understood that it wouldn't be easy for her to find hap: piness, but she couldn't haveseen have tired of regular shows or games. A well at her for solong, but we neverreally saw her. And now that we have and reach out to all peoplein every lost her, we realize we never really walk of life and not as a scripted had herat all.” But it seems to methat our inex public-relations campaign, but plicable grief is felt because we did heart-to-heart. We ourselves have felt the rage of witnessing unbear visceral, deeply human ways. We yearned tobe ableto help see her, and we connectedtoher in able outrage on our TV screens and the viewers as muchas the often crippling injuries just didn’t realize it until she died. ‘onnected when we saw her inflicted by vicious hits. Instead of replays of excellent tactics during a game, the camera focus ¢s on a quarterback’s head snappingback froman unnecessary violenthit. Viewers are less interest See PUBLICon Page 2 Nl an Spreatopimnion preees arth Ulastrations NTT zo come to lov Comer Oa EDN ro found Chek through your favorite features and explore a few new ones!i} Ai ny we all havehad in our own lives. we connected. e connected when We saw her spirit struggle to break out of the oppressive, burdensome royal yoke played football game, for instance doesnot please Hey webcrawl ers, Citizens is finally available online! on the Internet. tale and we connected her, to the yearning to believein the had known and been acquainted that. Because of similar experiences: cal humanfashion, will immediately look’ for something on which toput the blame, something at whichto vent our anger andfrustration. world as a beautiful, shy 20-year old, she was every person's fairy AWWW DCOFP.COMVCTH POTION ETUC LLU We havebeenconnecting toher for naked human suffering and weak as long as we have knownher, and nesses. She was subject to the same now these connections have been simultaneously broken, and wefeel adrift, vulnerable and wounded. When she was introduced to the emotional and mental tnals as we are, and she wished to end the pain See DIANA on Page 2 |
