In summary, the effect of many common medications on individual behavior is a surprisingly understudied topic, yet it potentially has societal-level implications. Common medications like...
In summary, the effect of many common medications on individual behavior is a surprisingly understudied topic, yet it potentially has societal-level implications. Common medications like paracetamol, cholesterol-lowering drugs, asthma treatments, and Parkinson’s disease meds all appear to have psychological side effects, many of which are not known well enough to describe to patients using them.
The article doesn’t argue that people should stop taking these medications, but rather that more attention is needed on this topic to better understand and warn about possible effects.
But in order to minimise any undesirable effects and get the most out of the staggering quantities of medications that we all take each day, [one researcher interviewed] reiterates that we need to know more. Because at the moment, he says, how they are affecting the behaviour of individuals – and even entire societies – is largely a mystery.
I agree that we need to know more about the side effects, but I do think there should be general caution around taking drugs. There's a range of needs for meds, from essential, life-saving drugs...
I agree that we need to know more about the side effects, but I do think there should be general caution around taking drugs.
There's a range of needs for meds, from essential, life-saving drugs to unnecessary recreational drugs. In between those two extremes is a huge range of drugs you could take but do not need to take. You need to do a cost-benefit analysis for each one.
The more information we have on each drug, the better your analysis can become. But because we'll always have imperfect information, personally I try not to take a drug unless it feels essential for my wellbeing. For example, after a hard workout, my muscles may be sore, but I just live through the pain rather than take an OTC painkiller to compensate.
I'm not trying to argue some anti-vax position; I think many drugs are vital and should be taken. I just think that a lot of society has become very lax with their views on drugs, being far too hasty in deciding to take them, when I think the default should be to be wary.
Quite right, IMO. If I were on trial for example, I'd want to know if the paracetamol that my judge took that morning are likely to affect their ruling.
The article doesn’t argue that people should stop taking these medications, but rather that more attention is needed on this topic to better understand and warn about possible effects.
Quite right, IMO. If I were on trial for example, I'd want to know if the paracetamol that my judge took that morning are likely to affect their ruling.
In summary, the effect of many common medications on individual behavior is a surprisingly understudied topic, yet it potentially has societal-level implications. Common medications like paracetamol, cholesterol-lowering drugs, asthma treatments, and Parkinson’s disease meds all appear to have psychological side effects, many of which are not known well enough to describe to patients using them.
The article doesn’t argue that people should stop taking these medications, but rather that more attention is needed on this topic to better understand and warn about possible effects.
[edit: typo]
I agree that we need to know more about the side effects, but I do think there should be general caution around taking drugs.
There's a range of needs for meds, from essential, life-saving drugs to unnecessary recreational drugs. In between those two extremes is a huge range of drugs you could take but do not need to take. You need to do a cost-benefit analysis for each one.
The more information we have on each drug, the better your analysis can become. But because we'll always have imperfect information, personally I try not to take a drug unless it feels essential for my wellbeing. For example, after a hard workout, my muscles may be sore, but I just live through the pain rather than take an OTC painkiller to compensate.
I'm not trying to argue some anti-vax position; I think many drugs are vital and should be taken. I just think that a lot of society has become very lax with their views on drugs, being far too hasty in deciding to take them, when I think the default should be to be wary.
Quite right, IMO. If I were on trial for example, I'd want to know if the paracetamol that my judge took that morning are likely to affect their ruling.