Hey Preachy, You're A riskier Drug Addict Than Everyone On Illicit Substances

It cracks me up when people talk about how lethal some substance is. Ok. I get it. You didn't ever study chemistry. Say it with me: the dose makes the poison. And the frequency makes the duration of poisoning. The concentration in a solution dictates the outcome of chemical reactions. And the repeated increase in concentration dictates persistent chemical reaction.

Look up statistics on ER visits and cause of death in the developed world. Sure. Illegal drugs may be A problem. Are they THE problem? Are they THE TOP problem? No. Not even close. Most banned substances are not the primary cause of death. Heart disease wins by light years. Even with emergency room visits, it is a very recent phenomenon that opioids showcase with such prevalence. And even so, prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs still occupy a significant portion of the list for emergency room overdose statistics.

Certain antibiotics ruin human health permanently and probably cross-generationally (http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/fluoroquinolone_toxicity.). But we haven't qualm one about doling them out like TicTacs. In fact, oddly, we take a lot of drugs, as long as they're over-the-counter or prescribed by a medical professional. Generally, despite the list of known adverse reactions and known detriment to human health, we just go ahead a take these "safe" substances without a single thought of the kidney and liver strain, the fact that we are altering how our body chemistry was meant to deal with something, and so on. I'm not in any way anti-medicine. But I pause... a LONNNGGGGG time before I administer drugs for me or for my kids, carefully weighing out the costs and benefits. It's not all upside. Even well-tolerated antibiotics change your gut flora forever. That same flora has an impact on your immune function, brain health, and the integrity of a variety of body systems. We have so many modern chronic diseases which supposedly have "no cause." Yet we never pause to think about how a lifetime of drug use, though it saved us from certain ailments, came at a substantial cost. Your "no cause" disease is the bill that finally came due, maybe not even because of your but your parents' drug use. Most women in the developed world are longterm steroid users (contraceptives), which we know alters brain chemistry. There couldn't possibly be downside, right?

There isn't all upside with any drug. What we want to find is the absolute minimum for the least amount of time in order to glean the benefit while subduing the detriment. But nobody is thinking that way. In my tens of thousands of consults, most people don't even remember all the drugs they're currently on and prescribed, let alone all the ones they've taken throughout their lives. The mental energy exerted for any substance goes about as far as "pop a pill" or "my doc gave me a few things for my high blood pressure, or was it high cholesterol, or was it high anxiety?" I'm not hyperbolizing. I have heard this EXACT quote from thousands of people during initial meet and greets. They outsource their entire physical health and mental decision making to someone who meets with them for 10 minutes. Then they just keep throwing back pills, any ol' pill will do, since it's not illegal, right?

Add to that list acetaminophen: https://www.acsh.org/news/2017/09/11/tylenol-far-most-dangerous-drug-ever-made-11711?fbclid=IwAR23nvOGpLTXjoYLnrUesk2SH7M_NVn8SIu9r4wk5ICcxQ--amwjOBY03yw.

People don't think twice about cramming an infant or toddler full of this poison which could permanently destroy his organs. Our societal mores are upside down. People are busy. I get it. Understanding drugs is a monumental undertaking. I understand. But this is your and your family's health. Perhaps think a little longer on dosing them with life-altering chemicals, especially when you catch yourself thinking that there are "safe" or "unsafe" drugs. People die from water overdose. The dose makes the poison. And some of these "safe" drugs are potent at concentrations as low as parts per billion, far more potent than a lot of the illicit substances. Check yourself, preachy, because you may be a riskier drug addict than everyone on illicit substances.