Magic Pill Society

It seems the more symptoms and diseases that are discovered, the more drugs we have out there. I often remember a televised stand up act from Chris Rock when he said, “Do you go to bed at night and wake up in the morning? Then we got a pill for you.” Although there are many drugs out there that are very helpful at fighting off illnesses with severe symptoms, I often wonder if as a society we are looking for a “magic pill” for our ailments.

They have pills for weight loss, energy, allergies, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, depression, bladder problems, and the list goes on and on. It seems so much easier to swallow a pill to solve your problems than to actually figure them out. What did we do before Eli Lilly came along? Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of taking prescriptions when we need it. There are hundreds of drugs out there that save lives and make us more comfortable in general. I am personally known to pop ibuprofen when plagued by a pesky headache. I vaccinate my children to prevent them from getting horrible diseases. But what I don’t understand is people who have problems they could solve for themselves looking for a “magic pill” to erase it.

Maybe you have gained a few pounds and are feeling a little down on yourself. The hard thing to do is drag yourself out of the house to run down the block or take a trip to the gym four to five times a week. Because that means finding a sitter for the kids, fitting it into your work schedule, getting up early, etc. We can find a million excuses to not fit that into our schedule. But we can manage to drive ourselves to the drug store or order online the latest weight loss pill. Only to discover after taking it, that it causes heart problems. Hmmm??? You mean tricking mother nature is bad for your health? There is no magic cure for being fit and lean than eating right and exercising. No pill is going to allow you to eat a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake daily and not gain weight. Read the fine print on those commercials. “Best results when combined with a diet and exercise program.” Because that is the part that works!

Maybe you have had some horrible tragedy in your life and you are grieving. Sure there are things you can take to help you sleep, calm your nerves, and zombie out. But why? The pain is not going to go away until you properly grieve. It used to be acceptable to mourn. People dressed in black and mourned for years. They would not even leave the house. Ever seen Gone With the Wind? Remember how Scarlet was the talk of the town for not properly morning? Now days people expect you to leave for a week and return to work for business as usual. It takes a long time to grieve and people do it at different rates. They should not have to be searching for a “magic pill” to help them make it through the day because society should rally around them and say its okay to have a bad day today, and tomorrow, and the next day.

The bottom line is that life is hard. Sometimes we have to truly face things and deal with our problems. Whether its from seeking professional help, talking with friends or clergy, or finding that perfect self help book that speaks to your soul. There is no “magic pill” to take that will make all of our problems go away. But changing your thinking, finding solutions you didn’t know existed, and taking charge of your life will. The hard road is the road less traveled, but its the only road where long term relief and happiness lie at the end.

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