Prescription Drug Abuse "Science Verses Faith"

Prescription drug abuse is my greatest concern in the culture that we are presently living in. There are many reasons that I have been alerted to this. The mass marketing of Pharmaceutical companies that I believe have an advertising effect to desensitizing people that they reflect back to their doctors a need for the medication. According to Inaba and Cohen (2007) there are an estimated 5 to 33 percent of our elderly that are on these drugs, and they have a misconception about sharing their drugs with others that they believe might have the same aliment. It is further stated that 1/3 of the elderly in intermediate care facilities are on long lasting meds that are not designed for the elderly. (Inaba & Cohen,2007).

Inaba & Cohen (2007) have stated, “America is in the midst of a prescription drug abuse epidemic, mainly opioid painkillers and benzodiazepines.” (p 4.1). It is shocking to learn that over 10,000 people die yearly because of this epidemic and millions are harmed from side effects that come from their usages, and we do not fully understand the full magnitude from these side effects long term. It is my concern that I am seeing no slowdown from the medical model or from the companies that are producing new amounts of them on a huge marketing scale.

Inaba & Cohen (2007) also express concern for the young. It is an alarming situation when children or adolescents can go to their parents medicine cabinets and retrieve dangerous drugs, and can even sell them to friends for up to ten dollars each. It seems that many oversight the issues concerning prescription drug abuse or the accidental injuries that can occur for the sake of its legality. Prescription drugs and still drugs, and we need to have a wider awareness of the dangers with more information given about the known side effects and how it’s going to determine the next generation along with the impact on our society for many years to come.

Drug addictions that control our lives compare a great deal to idols and strongholds that seem impossible to overcome. Spirituality can lead to redemption, while the medical model may only treat the symptom. The highest calling that is indicated to me in my journey to work with others that are struggling with these types of overpowering addictions is to bring hope through redemption, and not just a medication that merely will not cure, but only treat the top layer of the problem that may lie within the root. The Lord is able to deliver us from these things and not just put a bandaid on our wounds.

While the medical model struggles with the options that can cure the result, spirituality and the presence of the Lord in our lives gives us peace and redemption to know that will Him all things are possible, and we can overcome. I long for healing and though we may use medications to aid us along in that journey, we want to ensure those that we walk along side with that all hope is not lost, and our only option does not rest completely within the medical model. Our concern is to do no harm, so it is critical that we learn about these things while walking along side one of the road to recovery, not just the treatment alone.

References:

Cohen, W.E. & Inaba, D.S. (2007) Uppers, Downers, All Arounders 7^th Edition

    Biases that we Create According to our Personal Desires

In Luke 24:17, Jesus questions two of his followers about their conversation as he walks beside them along the road. The men did not recognize him while seeming sad and shocked at the same time that He had not heard of the crucifixion. They used doubting degrees of emotion expressing how they had hoped that He was the Messiah, who had come to rescue Israel in verse 21. Their latest report came from the women who stated His body was missing and the angel appeared to them saying that He is alive (22-23).

     Jesus called the people foolish, because they did not conceive all the writings of the prophets. He told them that it was clearly foretold He must suffer. He explained to them the writings of the prophets. They did not recognize him until they broke break and He disappeared before them. In the culture the men were living in at this particular time the Jews were not accepting of a suffering Messiah. They wanted a reigning King to deliver them from the Romans. The Jews were only accepting of their personal needs in the present, and it blinded them spiritually to the true Messiah. Jesus was not what they had hoped for. The culture rejected him just as Isaiah 53 predicted that they would.

      Through proper research we must seek a general approach according to Shaughnessy & Zechmeister & Zechmeister (2012). In our personal view of thinking we can mistake misleading evidence by not fully researching or clearly evaluating the claim. This was the exact point that Jesus made to the followers in (Luke 24:26). Intuition alone is not enough to base clear evidence without doing careful research, because very often we can be distorted by cognitive biases and should proceed to consider all of the evidence that is available. (Shaughnessy & Zechmeister & Zechmeister, 2012).

      There appears to be a biased situation between Martha and Mary in (Luke 10:38-42). Martha is more concerned with the preparation of Jesus being in her home while her younger sister Mary sits at his feet hanging on every word He speaks. Martha grows frustrated and tells Jesus that he needs to tell Mary that she should help pitch in with what needs to be done. Jesus responds to Martha from Luke 10:41 “Martha, Martha, “the Lord answered you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

      Martha was blinded by preparing to have Jesus in her home more than the presence of His fellowship. The preparation of business had little value or concern over the blessing of fellowship with the Lord. The smaller details can blind us from the larger existence of the truth. Mary considered all things and discerned what was more important of the two.

References:

Shaughnessy & Zechmeister & Zechmeister (2012), Ninth Edition, Research Methods in Psychology.