THE PSYCHOSIS OF ONE WENDY WALSH |
- Anna Nicole and Heath Ledger are two celebrities that died from drug interactions. The death of Michael Jackson and his relationship with Dr. Murray is the most recent example that highlights the danger of the ‘doctor on retainer’. This relationship is based on a contract that makes the doctor an employee, in essence changing a relationship that should be equal, to one where the patient can dictate the course of treatment. This shift in power can potentially blur the lines that must be maintained for a healthy doctor/patient relationship. It then can place a physician in a position where he/she may be prescribing medication in a way that is not clinically appropriate because the patient demands it. This needs to be examined and changed. As a society we need to take a look at the culture of prescription medication as the cure all. There is a perception that we can treat anything by taking a pill. This concept has been fostered by the pharmaceutical industry and their constant advertising. There are pills to make you happy, perform better sexually, help your memory, make you feel younger etc… In reality all of these medications have one thing in common; they simply manage the symptoms instead of healing the problem. Perhaps the best thing that can come out of the tragedy of Michael Jackson’s death is the examination of our culture of disease. Maybe it will change the paradigm to prevention and to healing disease instead of managing it with an endless list of prescription medications."