Medicating Women’s Feelings

New York Times ^ | Feb. 28, 2015 | Julie Holland

[nickcarraway]

WOMEN are moody. By evolutionary design, we are hard-wired to be sensitive to our environments, empathic to our children’s needs and intuitive of our partners’ intentions. This is basic to our survival and that of our offspring. Some research suggests that women are often better at articulating their feelings than men because as the female brain develops, more capacity is reserved for language, memory, hearing and observing emotions in others.

These are observations rooted in biology, not intended to mesh with any kind of pro- or anti-feminist ideology. But they do have social implications. Women’s emotionality is a sign of health, not disease; it is a source of power. But we are under constant pressure to restrain our emotional lives. We have been taught to apologize for our tears, to suppress our anger and to fear being called hysterical.

The pharmaceutical industry plays on that fear, targeting women in a barrage of advertising on daytime talk shows and in magazines. More Americans are on psychiatric medications than ever before, and in my experience they are staying on them far longer than was ever intended. Sales of antidepressants and antianxiety meds have been booming in the past two decades, and they’ve recently been outpaced by an antipsychotic, Abilify, that is the No. 1 seller among all drugs in the United States, not just psychiatric ones.

[Jeff Chandler]

Men aren’t afflicted with depression.
.
We’re carriers.

[BlackAdderess]

I am sorry for your losses, I lost both my siblings, mother, and father by the time I was 3 and grew a very tough hide as a result. People who are good to you are a gift that is sometimes too fleeting. It’s important to appreciate them and to be grateful, gratitude can get you through a lot.

There is a girl I knew who had been on anti-depressants for years, they gave her breathing space, but they kind of fixed her in place so that she didn’t process what she had been through.

[RedMDer]

Let's Git-R-Done!

Less than $3.4k to go!!

[NorthstarMom]

There is a belief among some Christians that because psychology has unbiblical roots, all aspects of that discipline should be dismissed. Our pastor teaches that at church and it kept me from seeking help for my daughter for too long. It is a foolish way to approach the very real problems that people have. There is help when needed through counseling or, sometimes, medication and there is nothing sinful about seeking that help.

I am so sorry for your losses.

[BlackAdderess]

Too much to do in too little time is a bad thing and cannot be sustained without something having to give way. I do think we sometimes let the mommy police make unnecessary busy work for us when we should instead give a one-fingered salute.

[Secret Agent Man]

:)

[a fool in paradise]

“as the female brain develops, more capacity is reserved for... observing emotions in others”

Or projecting perceived “emotions in others”.

[a fool in paradise]

The female hormones in our water supply could also be a factor.

[Dawn53Fl]

Funny but true.

Mark Gungor...the difference in men and women’s brain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BxckAMaTDc

[CatherineofAragon]

"The same sensitivity can be a huge problem in the workplace. Over the past several decades more women are in the workforce, doing what used to be considered men’s work. Maybe that is contributing to the need women have for something to help control their emotions so they can be more like men"

Insightful. I agree.

[Rudder]

Sales of antidepressants and antianxiety meds have been booming in the past two decades, and they’ve recently been outpaced by an antipsychotic, Abilify, that is the No. 1 seller among all drugs in the United States, not just psychiatric ones.

Codified in the ICDM by the Rolling Stones as "Mothers Little Helpers."

[grasshopper2]

The increase in prescriptions for psychiatric medications, often by doctors in other specialties, is creating a new normal, encouraging more women to seek chemical assistance.

This creation of a New Normal leads to a climate of intolerance for what used to be normal behavior; showing emotion, or "acting hysterical" is seen as something pathological nowadays when in the past it was normal for women to act that way. And the most intolerant are other women who are on these meds and who push these meds on their friends, co-workers and family members.

As the author points out, a certain amount of highs and lows are normal and suppressing these normal feelings chemically can make a woman less empathetic and less understanding - and more commanding or "man-like" and confident. Confident that they are right to take the meds and their un-medicated, emotional, sisters are wrong.

"You need to take something to even out your moods" a co-worker may hint.

Women on meds may dislike thinking that they are the only ones with the problem so they may project upon others and even try to convince others that they too have a problem and they too need meds. Eventually, the other woman will feel shame when she acts in ways formerly considered normal for women and she may seek out a physician for a prescription convinced that her normal feelings are now abnormal and in need of fixing.