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Post by flossieskid on Sept 17, 2021 7:07:31 GMT -5
One of the great things, I think, that exists within the Forum is honest replies to any posed questions. Every person has this place to share their feelings without judgment. That said, of course everyone will not always agree with opinions shared on these posts - especially mine.
Every person’s opinions are specifically informed by their own experiences. Sadly, it sounds like PatriciaAnne’s doctor did not clarify potential side effects for medicine she was given. My husband was a practicing psychiatrist for over 30 years and easily saw close to 5,000 patients including L.A. County individuals, group participants, medication clinics, ex-convicts’ group therapy from the Department of Corrections, in addition to, private practice. He, along with all his other colleagues, in tandem with teachings from their medical schools, determined after many, many patient interactions, that if they tell their patients that “these side effects might happen” an overwhelming number would GET those side effects. Direct communication between doctor and patient was highly recommended. Unless a side effect was life threatening, doctors felt it better to wait until a patient would call them, complaining about their side effect, to address concerns. It was, of course, incumbent upon the physician to insist that if any side effect occurred, they should call the doctor immediately. That is, PatriciaAnne, more of a comment on the your doctor rather than the medical profession, I would think. But, I am so sorry you had to go through that. It never is good when you have to confront your physician because of poor or questionable care. That is certainly not fair to you.
As to my suggestion that therapy should be offered in high school, perhaps I did not phrase my opinion more clearly. We are all “forced” to comply with state requirements, take classes and pass tests that the government says we must, ie.: required inoculations before starting school, taking required classes the school system determines: like a foreign language, algebra AND geometry, also an exam before we can get our permit and an actual driving test before being given our licenses. We must pass tests later on in our lives to be sure our knowledge about driving is still correct. Also, we must pass a sobriety test if police think there is cause. We can’t drink and drive and we are subjected to safety tests before we board a plane. I just don’t see how we all easily accept the government’s involvement and restrictions in those areas and question others.
Depression has always existed in teenagers. But, I heartily agree it has gotten worse since cell phones and social media have appeared. The death rate from suicides for children 10-14 years of age has jumped to almost 180% in a 10 year period and almost 80% in teenagers from 15-19. When I was young, I don’t remember EVER hearing about youth suicide! The thought of a 10 year taking their life because of bullying is not only heartbreaking, it makes me SO mad!
One would think that children who are so depressed, as to want to end their life, would speak to their family about their depression. But, for what ever reason they don’t. As 2 people mentioned on the Forum they were very depressed in school, but perhaps their parents did not notice it or didn’t have the tools to help them. I am sure these parents loved their children and certainly did the best they could, but, still their child suffered from depression. Wouldn’t it have been great if there was a trained professional at their school and it was part of their curriculum to speak with them? I bet every single parent who lost their 10 year old to suicide would have given anything to have had a counselor at their child’s school who would have been available for their child to speak with.
Just having counselors at school to talk if someone comes to them isn’t enough. If they did go and try to talk to the counselor by themself and then other students found out, the teasing and bullying that would be thrust upon them would be horrid. If it was required for EVERYONE as a “class” perhaps those who couldn’t speak to their family about their issues could be helped through this non-judgmental platform. Think of all the young people behind the shooters at Columbine, Sandy Hook, Aurora and Marjorie Stillman High - they might have truly benefited from an outlet where they could go to talk about the difficulties they were facing and not use violence as a solution.
The Walton family were unique in the sense that they all seemed to get along and it appeared they all felt free to talk about their problems. But sadly, not all families are like that. I know many friends who no longer speak to anyone in their family. That is sad, but I surely understand family dynamics can be difficult - especially if they don’t have the tools to start a dialogue toward open conversations, conflict resolution and forgiveness. These are things they might have learned in that class in high school. Most every sibling on the Waltons knew how to talk to each other and their parents and grandparents. Good scriptwriting! But, as noted on a post, those families don’t really exist anymore. That closeness is wonderful and I think it extended to Earl Hamner and his siblings even as they grew and moved away from Virginia.
I apologize for the length of this post, but I feel so passionately about this subject. Perhaps the term “therapy” is offensive and that is part of the problem, I think. I remember in 5th grade, we use to have a “ Friendship Circle” at the end of the day. Everyone sat close to their classmates in a circle which made it feel less like class and more like friends talking to each other. Each student was asked to share one problem they were experiencing. It could be that they: thought there was too much homework, or how to invite even the horrible players to be included at games during recess, or even how to approach their parents about something that really bothered them. No one felt pressure and they felt they were “heard” - something that might not be happening at home. It was great and appreciated by each student. The Waltons had a loving family and support system at home and in the community to help them through difficult times. I do think that is one of the attractions of the series. As Earl use to say, “Family is universal.”
It would be great if all families were like those portrayed on TV, like “Leave it to Beaver” or “Father Knows Best” and, yes, even the Waltons. But, while it is heartbreaking, a LOT of people just don’t have that in their own home. I grew up with many of them. I can say this, unequivocally, that every single person on this planet could benefit from talking to someone that has, absolutely, no agenda except to listen to you and, not TELL you what to do, but help YOU develop the tools to help yourself maneuver through life. Perhaps the word “therapy” is wrong. Call it anything you want: “Lifelines” like in “Who Want To Be A Millionaire” or “The Game of Life”, “ Situation Evaluation” - literally, ANY word which helps remove the stigma of people thinking they are being forced into therapy would be fine.
Lastly - about medication. I agree, I don’t think any of the Waltons would have taken any pills to calm them down or relieve them so they don’t have a panic attack. But, wouldn’t Olivia and John immediately make sure their child would take their insulin if any of them had diabetes? I still feel a lot of people do not think mental illness is a real thing. It absolutely exists! In fact, one of my own relatives suffered from Bi-Polar Disorder and I thank God, all the time, that there were medications that made their life better and kept them on an even keel. There are some celebrities who spew total falsehoods - like medication for bi-polar illness “changes” who you are or removes your innate talents and abilities. That is just not true. Also, a family member of mine suffered from alcoholism and we thought nothing could be done except the person developing the willpower to not drink anymore. But, the medication, Antabuse, is a salvation for those with an inability to stop on their own without help. If you take it and then drink, you become violently ill and, over time, your willpower begins to increase and your reliance on alcohol decreases. AA is incredibly helpful, as well.
I could write another 20 paragraphs on how I have seen psychiatric medication help a person in grave need of assistance as they face major difficulties in their life. Each member of the Walton family was very lucky to live in the era that was highlighted on the show. I think we all wish we had such a loving, understanding group of people who would help us in our time of need. But, as was pointed out in some posts, the problems the Waltons faced were not the same as what we have to deal with on a daily basis. I am just very, very grateful that we do live in a world, today, where we can get assistance in many areas from holistic health, talk therapy to different types of medical intervention which will help make our own lives so much better. As adults, we can, for the most part, live our life freely, within the confines of acceptable normal behavior. But, the best part is we have so many options to explore in our time of need. Hey, even the Baldwin sisters had “the Recipe” !!!
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