The things that bother me the most are cases like my daughter, whoās been on the same prescriptions for years, but when they run low she has to get them redone and thereās only one doctor (of the relevant type) in the state that takes the insurance, so appointments are hard to get.
They have had to change her mixes in the past, because people do grow and change and medications can become less effective when that happens, but we can all pretty much tell when thatās the case or if this is just another refill.
Funny fact: Years ago we had an incident where her mom caught her with ketamine and insisted that I go talk with her and tell her that I was disappointed with her. I went in to talk with her and she said āMom told me that youāre disappointed with me.ā I said āYeah, she told me that too.ā
We then sat together and went through the studies (which weād both seen news of) that show that ketamine, when used a certain way, might be effective for some things within hours vs. the conventional treatments (which she was on) that take weeks or months to take effect. It was not officially approved yet, but looked somewhat promising. Worth a try, compared to the alternative of potential death. Better than having to carry your daughter down the stairs while holding her airway open, checking her pulse, and waiting for the paramedics (again).
As a family we came to the conclusion that street drugs are acceptable if thereās a valid reason for it, science to back it up, and they are there for that and to be used in that manner. (I know that my daughter might have used some for recreational purposes, but I was ok with that as long as she was saving some for emergency use, which she was and is what she got caught with.)
Nowadays we just need basic things (blood pressure meds, levothyroxine for thyroid problems, low-level sleep aids (not sedative or narcotic), adderal, a common SSRI, CBD (not THC)), nothing the least bit dangerous, uncommon, or designed to get high from. Yet it all requires prescriptions, and often from specialists. The three of us have a combined 122 years of experience and the knowledge of the effects of these things on us. Yet every month or 3 we have to go take time away from work, sit and wait, and pay money to get a permission slip. For no reason.
I have a job when I can duck out anytime for an appointment and insurance where I donāt need permission from another doctor first to make the appointment. And yet itās still difficult for me to take care of my familyās health. Most people donāt have those luxuries. I could rant for hours about this. It makes me so angry.
And yet people still use the term āself-medicateā in a negative way. Is it really any wonder why so many people self-medicate with whatever they can get, when thereās an entire industry - multiple industries - designed to make it expensive, time-consuming, and difficult for people to get the medications that they need (including even ones that they know well and have been using for years).
ETA: sorry, that turned into a longer rant than I intended, even though I tried to cut it short.