ANSWER THIS DOES NOT NEED TO BE LONG THIS IS A SOCIAL WORK CLASS
Mindfulness or Medication?
The current American society is plagued by Anxiety. The number of those who have identified Anxiety as preventing them from performance at work, parenthood, school, and daily functioning is increasing. The emergence of COVID 19 and its continued effects on society have also added to increased diagnoses of Anxiety. Despite the addictive nature of medications, benzos are being prescribed at an alarming rate. Kids as young as middle and high school ages are taking these pills (unprescribed) to make it through the day. Professionals sit around at lunch and joke about not being able to make it without their pills. Mindfulness and meditation are new approaches to deal with anxiety. It can be argued, however, that this approach is contradictory. Mindfulness and meditation take time. some argue that the lack of time is what causes their anxiety in the first place. They state that they don’t have the ability to go for a walk, do yoga, or meditate. This society has everything fast paced and on the go.
Do you think Mindfulness is a realistic option in today’s society? What are some ways we as professionals can promote this in our therapy? Does the current “American Way” lead to addiction by maintaining a system of pressure and Anxiety and medicating with knowingly addictive medications? Please tie in what you have learned from the articles provided (see weekly lessons and below) as well as Third Wave Therapies from the text in your discussion.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/02/antianxiety-drugs-fuel-the-next-deadly-drug-crisis-in-us.html
REPLY TO HIM WTH I AGREE, GREAT POST,I THINK ….
DOES NOT NEED TO BE LONG
Wale Falodun
DB7
COLLAPSE
I believe that Mindfulness is a viable option today in American society. We are geared to be unaware. We are one with technology. We go about not being mindful of the causes and conditions of our problems. These are the exact reasons that we need to be mindful and eventually accepting of our conditions. Life will seem less tragic and we get a handle on what once led us out of control. We can practice this by utilizing interventions of acceptance and commitment theory as well as dialectical behavioral theory. Mindfulness applies to both the professional-practitioner and the client.
The American system is broken but not lost. Over 40 million patients alone attest to anxiety. These clients are prescribed benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium. These are addictive pills and can have severe withdrawal effects. A population of the workforce suffer from anxiety, the workload being one cause. These individuals with their medication may be on the brink of losing control and losing it all. The more effective medication are Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. These are antidepressants used to treat anxiety when it becomes a disorder. America is overmedicated. The food we eat unlike third world nations lack nutrients and we need further medication. The problem at hands needs media attention, advocacy with legislators, and education.
References
CNBC. 2022. Antianxiety drugs- often more deadly than opioids- are fueling the next drug crisis in the US. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/02/antianxiety-drugs-fuel-the-next-deadly-drug-crisis-in-us.html
Prochaska, J. Et.al. 2014. Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis. Cengage Learning. Eighth Edition.
