The Numbing of a Nation: Why Antidepressants are Not a one-size-fits-all Cure.

My parents love the mantra, “Better living through chemistry.”

I get it. Their generation was the beneficiary of many technological advancements that we adopted into society before the impacts were truly understood. Plastics, processed foods, and breast implants spring to mind.

Just as with the case of those modern miracles, the invention of a pharmaceutical answer to every nagging question is also a huge quagmire we are only beginning to grasp.

My mom takes a lot of prescribed medication. So much so, in fact, that my brother-in-law nicknamed her, “Pills,” a few years back. Some of the medications are prescribed to handle the side effects of some of the other medications.

I’m a recovering alcoholic, so I have experience in trying to medicate away my pain.

Once, during a family discussion about my affliction, I raised my concern about my mother’s dependence on pharmaceuticals. I was rebuffed as acting like a know-it-all for questioning the treatment plans of highly trained medical professionals. I admit, my approach to the subject probably came across more as arrogance and less as concern, and I could have used some polish on my delivery. Besides, we were there to talk…