America's Medicated Army

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
No, I'm not a doctor.

I am trained as a clinical social worker and I have more personal experience with psychotropic drugs than I probably should admit.

You will note that beyond providing readily available data and personal experience, my most common advice regarding medical matters is to seek professional help.

I am a doctor.

I am whatever I believe I am or whatever I need to be.

My most common advice regarding medical matters is look to the garden; the answer, from flesh wound to asthma, is almost always growing at your feet.

The solution to your medical problems should never to be separated from you by a dollar, diploma, or professional license.

Ignore the illusion, get back to where you once belonged.

sipping clear water,

Sri Oracle

Originally posted by LifesNomad
Sleeping pills I can completely understand - when based in East Timor, we were barracked next to the aviation wing. All night, we'd hear blackhawks taking off and setting down ... practically impossible to sleep without some "help".

Not saying it's right, but in certain situations definitely justifiable.

yes it's true

VALERIAN
en.wikipedia.org...(herb)

Valerian has uses in herbal medicine as a sedative. The main current use of valerian is as a remedy for insomnia.[]

Valerian is sometimes recommended as a first-line treatment when benefit-risk analysis dictates.

Few adverse events attributable to valerian have been reported. Large doses or chronic use may result in stomach ache, apathy, and a feeling of mental dullness or mild depression.

and again, AMBIEN
en.wikipedia.org...

Side effects at any dose may include:

* Anterograde amnesia
* Hallucinations, through all physical senses, of varying intensity
* Delusions
* Altered thought patterns
* Ataxia or poor motor coordination, difficulty maintaining balance
* Euphoria and/or dysphoria
* Amnesia
* Impaired judgment and reasoning
* Uninhibited extroversion in social or interpersonal settings
* Increased impulsivity

* When stopped rebound insomnia may occur
[]
Also, alcoholics and drug abusers may be at increased risk of abusing and or becoming psychologically dependent on zolpidem [ambien].
[]
There are many unsubstantiated reports on the internet of people who have had issues with this medication.

Assuming WE SHOULD give our soldiers sleep aids,


...who benefits from the choice to medicate with ambien rather than valerian?

The Afghan people?
The American people?
The US soldier?
The War on Terror?
The War on Drugs?

"I've read that people do strange things in their sleep when they've taken Ambien... I mean Nappien."

-Lisa, The Simpsons

I am,

Sri Oracle

I was never given anything except ibuprofen for when I twisted my ankle and Percocet (2 weeks of heaven) when i got a tooth pulled. I got some over the counter sleep aid ( you try sleeping by a flight line) but i don't know anyone who is on anti depressants. Although i don't think they would just tell everyone, but they would have to go to the mental welfare building so perhaps we would find out.

Calm down kids. we aren't running through the desert hopped up on pills shooting everything.

LOL 90% gotta love time cooking their numbers and not being able to back it up.