Lost in a chemical fog
Here is a New York Times article about how some people are growing up on prescribed mood altering drugs. This is creating a whole generation of people who don’t know who they are without them. The article doesn’t seem to understand the pervasiveness of this beyond those who “really need it.” Modern society has convinced us that we have a right to feel upbeat all the time. What gets lost is the understanding that emotional struggle is part of being a human being. We have no sense that emotions are value judgments that can serve us well, and maybe even save our lives. Grief lasting more than a few days is considered excessive. This of course doesn’t negate the fact that there are people who suffer from severe long term mental disorders. We and the medical establishment seem not to be able to tell the difference between the blues, which may be good for us, and destructive mental disorders.