Dr. Mercola November 29 2007 34,286 views
By Christopher Kent, DC, JD
Psychiatrist Thomas S. Szasz (1) has written extensively on the medicalization of American politics. Medicalization is defined as a process or tendency whereby the phenomena, which had belonged to another field such as education, law, religion, and so on, have been redefined as medical phenomena. (2) Thus, medicalization is a process by which the medical profession asserts authority over a sphere of life previously overseen by guardians of morality.
Szasz describes the ideologies of legitimization: theocracy (God’s will); democracy (consent of the governed); socialism (economic equality); and pharmacracy (the therapeutic state). The emergence of the therapeutic state is a product of the 20th century.
From 1776 to 1914, the federal government played no role in civilian medicine. In 1914, the first antinarcotic legislation was enacted. As the century progressed, the federal government’s role in medicine exploded. Szasz offers the following statistics:
One of Szasz’s greatest insights is his description of the process where coercion is transformed into medical therapy:
1. The subject’s “condition” is diagnosed as a disease. 2. The intervention imposed is defined as a treatment. 3. Legislators and judges ratify these categorizations as “diseases” and “treatments.”
Coercion Becomes a Public Health Measure
The traditional role of coercion as a public health measure dealt with the transmission of communicable diseases. Persons with communicable diseases were quarantined (as in measles) or banished (as in leprosy). Yet as a growing number of behaviors were defined as “diseases” coerced treatment was added to the armamentarium of public health and state authority.
Medicalized conditions include such diverse conditions as gambling (3), smoking (4), gun violence (5), and racism (6). Coercion is used not merely to isolate those with communicable diseases, but to force treatments on persons with tuberculosis, alcoholism, and a plethora of mental illnesses where the subject is deemed a threat to “self and others.” Children are particularly susceptible to coerced medical interventions, ranging from vaccination to behavior modifying drugs for such dubious diagnoses as ADD/ADHD. Even when parents elect alternative courses of health care, courts have ordered dangerous treatments against the wishes of both parents. Pharmacracy has led to an uncritical deference for allopathic intervention by the legislatures and the courts.
Thankfully, pharmacracy is a 20th century paradigm. As we approached the turn of the century (and the new millennium), a subtle revolution was building steam. Despite economic disincentives, and medicine’s cultural authority, Americans sought to reclaim control over their lives and turned to “alternative” care in unprecedented numbers.
A study by Eisenberg (7) found that in 1990, 34 percent of the people surveyed used at least one “unconventional” intervention in the past year. Indeed, their visits to “alternative” practitioners exceeded visits to primary care medical physicians in that year. A follow-up study (8) in 1997 reported that utilization of “alternative” health care had increased to 42.1 percent. Total out-of-pocket expenditures doubled.
The trend is growing. Kessler (9) reported that 67.6 percent of those surveyed had used at least one “complementary” or “alternative” approach to health care in their lifetime. According to the article, utilization by Baby Boomers is about half, and use by post-Baby Boomers (who have reached the age of 33) is 70 percent.
A Wellness Revolution
The true revolution, however, is not in seeking different techniques for treating disease. It is the emergence of a different perspective on the human condition. This is the distinction between “alternative treatment” and “wellness.” People have realized that valuable as medical treatment may be in its proper context, it does not address vital, core issues concerning the human condition.
Legendary economist Paul Zane Pilzer (10) has written, “What we call the ‘health care’ business is really the sickness business. The $1.4 trillion we spend on medical care is concerned with treating the symptoms of sickness. It has very little to do with being stronger or healthier.” Pilzer predicts that wellness is destined to become a trillion dollar industry.
Pilzer wrote, “I define ‘wellness’ as money spent to make you feel healthier, even when you’re not ‘sick’ by any standard medical terms ... As much as we focus on the financial and lifestyle benefits of the business, the real benefit is what you can do to change a life -- and the lives of all people who are touched by that life.”
Chiropractic is perfectly positioned to provide the leadership for the wellness movement, which is both a revolution and a renaissance. We have the opportunity to bring more fullness and joy to humanity than ever before. Will we rise to the challenge, or abdicate our birthright by limiting our vision? Open your mind, open your heart, and let your light shine. Embrace the challenge and change the world.
Many thanks to Dr. Kent for his article. He is a good friend, and one of the leaders in the chiropractic profession. He runs the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance along with another good friend of mine, Patrick Gentempo.
In a previous 2005 article, Medicalisation: Disease Mongering, Dr. Ben Lerner talked about this very issue, and the situation has continued to get worse since then. Case in point: more and more parents are now facing jail time for refusing to drug their children for invented diseases that -- according to an ever more involved government -- must be treated with pharmaceutical drugs, while overlooking all other alternatives. Yes, your medical- and health freedom IS at stake!
The pharmaceutical industry is raking in massive profits from this scheme -- more than three times the average of other Fortune 500 industries -- even after including all research and development costs. Let’s face it. Pharmaceuticals are not about making you healthy and well.
It really is about creating fear that motivates you to purchase their expensive solution, which rarely ever addresses the underlying cause They also invent “preventive” drugs, such as preventive cancer drugs for women who don’t have cancer -- just as an example.
But make no mistake, there is no such thing as a pharmaceutical drug that can offer true prevention, because synthetic chemicals cannot produce health! They do not belong in your body to begin with, and you should know that your body will always try to protect itself from foreign substances and “invaders,” so how would these chemicals possibly create health?
This “medicalisation of society,” is the medical industry's practice of turning commonly found symptoms into a "disease" so they can prescribe a medication for it. It’s time to wake up everyone around you, because the industry is spending massive amounts of money to, literally, create artificial needs, to create a market for wares that could otherwise not be sold. Folks, you need to realize that many of these diseases are NOT REAL, and the accompanying “treatment” is not a real solution.
One such classic example of a successful “new disorder” is that of high cholesterol. The drug companies bought "expert panelists" who set national guidelines that helped further the completely unnecessary use of statin drugs.
In fact, cholesterol is a symptom of illness, not a cause of illness. And using drugs to control a symptom is a sure-fire solution to worsen the problem and add unnecessary side effects to boot.
Always remember that the drug companies are trying to sell you something. They're not really concerned whether you're sick, well, get healthy, or stay ill; they just want to get you to buy their products. And they will do whatever it takes to do that, including selling you cures for diseases that don't even exist.
Dr. Marcia Angell, former editor of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, spilled the beans on the drug companies in the best book I have ever read on this topic, "The Truth about Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It."
I have committed my resources to changing this system, and you can help by forwarding any helpful articles you read on the site to people that you care about, and recommend that they sign up for my newsletter to continue getting all the latest information on vital issues related to health.
Share your own knowledge with others. Remember to question the medical status quo… Once enough people have had enough, change is inevitable.
Actually, we don't need anything added to the constitution...the Bill of Rights is not a comprehensive listing (even though most people think it is). The 9th and 10th Ammendments are there specifically to secure all other rights not listed...the government has simply seized on people's ignorance and taken defacto possession of all other "rights" not listed in the Bill of Rights. In other words, if it's not listed, it's a state-granted privilege, not a "right" no matter how common sense a particular right may seem to the people.
Health is a result of proper cellular function. Disease is the result of abnormal cellular function. The brain controls and regulates cellular function in the body through the nerve system. Chiropractors analyze, detect and correct any impediment to this communication network that results from misalignment of the vertebrae of the spine. The spine houses and protects the brain stem, the delicate spinal cord and the root nerves that exit at each vertebral level to facilitate two way communications between the brain and all other systems of the body. Visit www.YourSpine.com to learn more about the importance of the health, fitness and maintenance of the spine.
But it takes more than just a fully functioning nerve system to achieve proper cellular function and therefore health. A diet of natural, nutrient rich food, clean pure water, regular exercise, adequate restful sleep and emotional well being are all necessary in order to achieve and maintain a state of health.
Reflect back on this list and you will notice that none of these requisites can be patented or monopolized. They all require the active, ongoing participation of the health seeker. None can be used to funnel billions of dollars of wealth to one monopolistic group, like the pharmaceutical/medical cartel or industrialized food and beverage production groups.
Chiropractors are uniquely positioned to lead the Wellness Revolution as all of the above truths align perfectly with the principles and concepts on which chiropractic is founded. The opposite of industrialized food and medicine is natural food and health care as clearly as war is the opposite of peace. Perhaps with less of the former, we can have more of the latter.
So are the 40 million animals being tested on in labs each year. I hope someday our citizens will stop supporting any company that is involved in unethical practices
The US is not the only country with a 'pharmacracy'. Here in Canada the same medical politic is rampant. Go to a general practitioner MD because your knee is swollen and mention in passing the fact that your mother is suffering from Alzheimer's and you are most distressed about her condition and having trouble sleeping. - The next thing you know an RX for Remerol or Paxil is thrust in your hand to "help you get through this difficult period of your life!" This is just plain abuse of medicine. It is irresponsible to the point of negligence. AND - the Canadian Health Plans pay for this idiocy! - The Ontario Health Ins. Plan (OHIP) took Chiropractics off the "pay" list a few years back. The DCs have lost a lot of ground because of this and only those individuals who have supplementary health insurance use their services regularly. Something is truly twisted in the minds of the medical profession if doctors are encouraged to do this kind of random prescribing while chiropractors and other alternative health providers are chastised and ostracized for "doing no harm."
Thankfully, I am still alive and relatively healthy at 63 because I won't take the poisons doled out by MDs. - I got glucosamine along with curcumin and my knee improved. I also changed my diet and had further improvement. My mother does not have Alzheimer's because I am depressed! If I took paxil or any other anti-depressant, it would not change her condition. Seems fairly clear and rational to me. What's next? - an RX for real and nutritional food!?
If the Democrats get in this election here in America the same thing is going to happen to us as in Canada. First chiropractors will be "removed" from the Government Health Care Plan, then Physical Therapists and Pain Management doctors, Then the govermnent employed doctors will only be there to prescribe you the "right" drug for your "problem". The government will mandate vaccination for all children and the elderly and eventually everyone in between. The goal is that everyone is on a prescription medication long term. That's why they are making up new "diseases" every day. Even having restless legs at night is now a disease that requires a pill for the rest of your life!
Some of you might say I am crazy but I tell you this is what IS around the corner if Hillary, Obama or Edwards (who all want government healthcar/socialist medicine). We all need to wake up!
I don't think you are crazy healthnutmom, I think you are right on the money...Big Pharma money that is. AS a Democrat for 25 years, I have now jumped ship because I see where my party is headed and it scares me. I don't know what happened to the Democrats along the way over the last 50 years but they are really heading in the wron direction with healthcare and the FDA and the bug pharmecutical companies .
Maybe Ron Paul can stop the madness, he's my guy. But if he is out (I can't believe I am even saying this!!!) I am voting Republican for the first time EVER. Not that I am in love with any of the Republican candidates, believe me, but at least they hate the idea of govermnent healthcare, don't want to mandate vaccines for children as law, and don't want our public schools to be handing out birth control pills (more pharmaceuticals) like my party (well, my old party I am registering as an indipendant this year)
My mother-in-law was in the hospital for something and from their questioning her she mentioned that she was a bit down (from being in the hospital). I happened to be visiting her when they broght some pills in for her to take. I questioned what they were and was told it was prozak. I told my MIL to refuse them, thankfully she did. They were going to give her anti-depressants without telling her what they were! If they really wanted to help cheer her up they would have discharged her. I would have insisted on it if I knew then what I know now.
Well said, Freevoice. I too am Canadian and agree with you, as I observe these delemas of the Mainstream Profession 'wanting to help' with the only arsonal(s) the allopathic profession are taught in good faith, which appears to result in a belief system, of 'modern medicine being the only VALID/Effective Viable Option/Approach to the ailing/suffering and the broken. Having said that, we have two Medical Centres here in our surrounding area, whereby the student has the option of taking natural/complementary medicine along with the standard type of teachings. I myself, do believe in integration. There are times when we need an immidiate solid, short term intervention of pharmaceuticals, surgery...depending on the circumstance. Having said that, nutrition, supplements, phytotherapeutics, homeopathics, tissue work, skeletal treatments,acupuncture,...to mention, but a few, should be the mainstay of health and the actual cornerstone of treatment protocols, as modern medicine is a spin off of the proven and time tested medicine and it's approaches and resources. We as DNMs, are trained like 'old fashioned physicians' were. The focus is placed on what continues to be, the 'blue print' of today's modern medicine. Both are valid and necessary in their place. However, one is more palliative/gentle in it's approach and geared toward healing, compared to covering symtoms. For that reason, there is a difference between a TRUE HEALING and merely covering the symtoms, while both are viable options in their place. In the end it is up to each one of us to decide, based on informative and concise info, such as we, thank God, have here!:))) Taking control of one's health/decisions is the ultimate freedom, we aim to protect. Freedom, for how much longer? God only knows. He, as our creator is the Healer, by putting into our bodies the inate ability to heal itself. Healing is truly 'A State of the Arts',as we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Blessings
Dr. Trudy
I agree with Dr. Trudy. There is an optimal balance of allopathic and alternative treatments. People need to have the option. A good health care system would provide care in emergencies but also encourage people to seek optimal health. The Democrats in America, though! When did they stop being democrats and start being plutocrats? I pray we'll have the chance to vote Ron Paul into office. He's the only one willing to give the country back to the people.
I am a Canadian in California. Until we all understand and really, really realize that homeopathy in partnership with depth psychotherapy,naturopathy,chiropractic, osteopathic and other body work, herbology and whatever we may have left of indigenous wisdom is all we can depend on....Nothing will change. It is not the government but our own hypnosis and addiction to really living.
We must each choose to be the health care we need.
A similar thing happened to me...I went to the doctors for my normal yearly physical and the nurse pract. who saw me prescribed anti-depressants because of a stressful situation I was dealing with. She told me that she prescribes them often (specifically Zoloft)for many people under stress (that covers everyone unless you live in a cave) so you can clearly see where the medical profession is taking us. I took it for many months and then stopped because (honestly) I don't think it had a positive impact on me in any way. I volunteered for a study once and during the whole process THEY tried to convince me that I was on medication and not on a placebo (even though I knew the truth). Because of my experience I would never trust another "study". Medicine has become a joke and we are the fools for swallowing them hook, line and sinker!
Freevoice I totaly agree with your post. We here in B.C. also have had Chiropractics removed from med. We used to be aloud 1 visite per month then reducted to 10 to 0. I do have extended heath so am able to countinue. As far as I know a visite to the chiro. is cheaper than a viste to the MD. So it makes know sense what so ever. I think we as Canadians need to start yelling alot louder so we can be heard. We are far to complacent and to willing to take what our gov. says as truth. My brother was on gout meds. for years changed his diet and hasn't taken a pill for 2 years now. sister-inlaw was takong high blood presure pills. Starte the same diet as they were both over wait. She to has been off the pills 2 years. I to had been on lipator for a year or so till I started doing research and found the dangers of countinuing was not a good idea.
So I quit that and went to naturopath and have been doing quite well. All this sarted by a book I read by Kevin Trudeu. I was truley blind to the crap that is happing. Since reading the book and Dr. mercola's articles I have been much more carfull in what I buy and eat. I do think people need to take their heath into their own hands and study some before making a decission. I have found this so interesting that I have a hard time leaving it,but I do need my rest. Thank you Dr. Mercola for such insightfull articles.
A point, please note that drugs were unregulated before 1914. My suggestion that drugs should remain unregulated does not resonate well with many people. Regardless of your motives, (other) people should be able to choose as they wish. Of course, getting the advice of the professional of your choice might be a spectacularly good idea.
Can you imagine dismantling the DEA and the dramatic reduction of the entire prison system? The objection wouldn't be about drugs, but preserving government jobs (like the controversial reduction of military bases not so long ago). Nannyism is here!
Consider Constitutional Amendments (State and Federal) to enact that the state has no authority to regulate where we go or what we do. If I climb a mountain and fall off, I took the risk. The state is not liable, neither can they place it off limits to me.