How Much Prescription Drug Addiction is Caused by Medical Arrogance?

                                                                                         

Have you ever been to a doctor who expressed negative views about alternative medicine? It’s understandable that they would tell a patient they don’t recommend something because they haven’t thoroughly researched it – which is the truth – but to attempt to prevent their patient from getting treatment that has helped millions of people and is actually the preferred treatment method in healthier countries than ours is simple arrogance. And it may well be one of the major causes of prescription drug addiction.

There are many doctors enlightened and responsible enough to admit this. Some even take the time to study alternative medicine so they can give real help to their patients instead of prescribing drugs that will numb the symptoms while, in fact, their condition is not improving and is probably getting worse.

But it seems that the vast majority of doctors dismiss alternative therapies out of hand. What they’ve learned in medical school is the only way, despite volumes of evidence to the contrary.

Their patients who suffer from chronic pain, for example, have usually never seen a chiropractor or an acupuncturist, nor have they tried other drug-free solutions. The patients often say they ‘don’t believe’ in these things – even though they know virtually nothing about them - and their doctors, who know little if any more than their patients, often back them up.

Sometimes a patient even hears about other treatments, asks their doctor about them, and is told by his doctor not to do it.

Instead, the patient is given painkillers that do nothing to address the cause of the pain or improve the underlying condition.

And the painkillers themselves are dangerous.

- The patient can easily become dependent and on them and even become addicted,

- higher and higher dosages are sometimes required as the body builds up a tolerance to the drugs,

- the drugs have many side effects that, among other things, can inhibit the healing process,

- they mask the real condition, which may be getting worse, and,

- according to recent research, painkillers, when taken for an extended time, can actually cause pain.

Many doctors agree that doctors themselves are fuelling America’s prescription drug addiction epidemic by too frequently and too easily prescribing drugs. In truth, medical doctors don’t know what else to do. And they know it.

Despite this, they ignore and even attempt to nullify non-drug therapies that have proven successful all over the world and to which millions subscribe.

Medicine is constantly evolving and improving - which is why doctors are required to take continuing education classes to keep their license.

If more doctors would avail themselves of education on alternative therapies rather than attending big pharma-sponsored events designed to promote more drugs, many Americans would be healthier and we could see a vast decrease in prescription drug addiction.

Medical doctors are invaluable when it comes to certain situations. But there are conditions which they don’t know how to treat and can be successfully treated without drugs.

When choosing a doctor, make sure you get one who has studied alternative therapies and is open to them. A doctor like that can not only save your life in a dangerous medical situation, he can also help improve the quality of your life with minimal use of addictive drugs.

More and more people are showing up at addiction treatment centers for help with prescription drug addiction. And many of those addictions started with a prescription from the doctor. Your choice of doctor may dictate whether or not you’re headed in that direction.

About the author:
Gloria MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health.

info@drugrehabreferral.com

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