Part 3

Do You Need Tranquilizers to Cope?

DO THEY REALLY HELP?

A British study by Oxford researchers found that people taking tranquilizers such as Valium were five times as likely to have a serious road accident as other people.

“Over-prescribing has become a tradition of the medical profession.”​—Health expert quoted in “World Health Magazine.”

TROUBLE SLEEPING?

Are pills the answer? “In most cases it is highly inappropriate to give pills. Many people who can’t sleep are suffering from depression and should be treated in other ways.”​—Dr. Harvey Moldofsky, Toronto Western Hospital.

“There is clearly a recognizable lack in medical school education and postmedical school education about the proper prescription of hypnotics [sleeping pills] and their use and treatment.”​—Dr. Charles Krauthammer, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, U.S.

“BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NONADDICTIVE!”

“There is good evidence of physical addiction with Valium . . . A lot of people don’t know that Valium, Darvon, and codeine are addictive, and these are the [drugs] now being far too widely prescribed.”​—Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Public Citizens Health Group.

‘Valium withdrawal is more intense than heroin withdrawal.’​—Testimony by a doctor before U.S. Senate.

WHO IS PRESCRIBING YOUR PILLS?

British researchers found that 35 percent of prescriptions for tranquilizers are not written by doctors, but by their staff, usually the receptionist! Only 17 percent of the doctors surveyed insisted on writing all prescriptions themselves.

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to go to a doctor who is interested in really helping you, not just giving you pills? Don’t pressure him for medication if he doesn’t think you need any.