Posted: 11/14/2012 8:17:43 AM EDT
|
Another thread got me to thinking. It seems to me sometimes that EVERYONE but me is on some type of mood altering med (legal). Young, old, infirmed, mothers, grandpa's, students..... Everyone is taking a pill to wake up, a pill to go to sleep, a pill for anxiety, a pill for depression, a pill for hyperactive, a pill for weight loss, a pill for weight gain....... On and on and on. It seems no one can cope with ANY kind of difficulty. I can't tell you the number of times someone brings an injured animal in to the hospital and mom is standing there digging through her purse more worried about her anxiety medication than the dog that has just been hit my the car. I am not talking about pain meds for injuries and such (although that is at epic proportions right now also). I am just wondering how that population will (or will not) deal with a severe economic depression? I know that the people in NY are suffering right now, but they do have the option of going out of the area and getting what they need. What happens if on a large scale these things become hard to obtain or too expensive?
Just kind of thinking out loud. Will those be the first batch to be volunteering for Darwin awards? Kind of the same crowd who refuses to prep when they see a hurricane the size of Europe headed for NY. Doc |
|
Just gut feel, no data involved? I'd expect that some of them would actually snap out of it and find that most of the problems they addressed were caused by outside influences in their lives. Turns out, they really *didn't* have "ADD", they were just a little hyperactive, too smart for their own good and/or inquisitive. Another portion would perish without them. Folks with actual chemical imbalances who would devolve to the point where they would engage in delusional behavior and/or be unable to function to provide for themselves. I sincerely feel sorry for these folks.
A large portion, though, would reinforce Darwin. Refusing to take ownership of their survival and developing a fatal case of denial. Mouthing off to a thug because "they have rights". Generally acting like a jerk around a bunch of stressed out people who might care to rebut their argument with a few elbows to the face. That sort of thing. |
|
How much might you be mixing up cause and effect here? Depending on your part of the country, the economy's been hollowed out since well before '08. Most people can slog through a tough year without much long term impact...but a rough 5 years? Or more? Persistent problems with securing decent employment and meeting basic needs is going to wear down most people pretty far.
It's been a "depression" in some parts of the country for years already. Mental illness can happen despite someone's best efforts and preparations. Just be real careful about who you are rhetorically herding into the Sheep pen. On the bright side, depression/anxiety symptoms can be managed with lots of exercise. Guess what most people would likely be doing after SHTF. 
|
I'd had the thought a while back that the "zombie apocalypse" will be the 35th day after all of the medications run out. By that time, all of the psychotic bipolar schitzophrenics with dissociative identity and panic disorders will be out of their medications and wandering around the streets.
Living as I do in the rural area of a Huge Urban Imminent Disaster Zone (Los Angeles), I'm expecting that after a severe incident (or post-collapse, whichever comes first), a lot of factors will influence the general devolvement of the population; stress, lack of stabilizing medication, general unpreparedness, escalating violence, and so on. I'm just hoping that the gangs and the crazies cancel each other out before they get too far outside of the city. |
|
I'd had the thought a while back that the "zombie apocalypse" will be the 35th day after all of the medications run out. By that time, all of the psychotic bipolar schitzophrenics with dissociative identity and panic disorders will be out of their medications and wandering around the streets.
That is a good point, we lock up so many people with mental health issues. When they go off their medication, they are hard to handle. roving gangs of them would be a nightmare. I have dealt with 3 of them in the past hour. And they can escalate in seconds. Sadly there is only on way to deal with them in a SHTF situation.....bullets and a dozer. |
|
Quoted:
Another thread got me to thinking. It seems to me sometimes that EVERYONE but me is on some type of mood altering med (legal). Young, old, infirmed, mothers, grandpa's, students..... Everyone is taking a pill to wake up, a pill to go to sleep, a pill for anxiety, a pill for depression, a pill for hyperactive, a pill for weight loss, a pill for weight gain....... On and on and on. It seems no one can cope with ANY kind of difficulty. I can't tell you the number of times someone brings an injured animal in to the hospital and mom is standing there digging through her purse more worried about her anxiety medication than the dog that has just been hit my the car. I am not talking about pain meds for injuries and such (although that is at epic proportions right now also). I am just wondering how that population will (or will not) deal with a severe economic depression? I know that the people in NY are suffering right now, but they do have the option of going out of the area and getting what they need. What happens if on a large scale these things become hard to obtain or too expensive? Just kind of thinking out loud. Will those be the first batch to be volunteering for Darwin awards? Kind of the same crowd who refuses to prep when they see a hurricane the size of Europe headed for NY. Doc I dont take drugs of any kind. No smoking, no heavy drinking (occasional beer every once in a while or glass of wine). I wont allowed it in my house either. The way I see it, if you have "issues" going on, then just MTFU and deal with it. FerFAL |
|
I'm on a hypertensive med. I stock a 90 day supply and buy my food preps with as little sodium as possible. I figure that come TEOW +91 I'll have lost a little weight by exercising more to provide for my basic needs. I have a home cuff and know how to use it so I'll be able to monitor my condition.
I think that it will break down like this: Life support meds will keep those who need them alive for and extra X days than they would have survived otherwise. Mood altering meds will do the same, for those that continue to take them, for the duration of the supply. Don't forget a lot of people go off their meds already. What is to reinforce compliant patient behavior with no overlaying social structure? Fun med and drug seeking users will go out of their way to get in trouble. This should make for colorful and rapid Darwinian interventions. |
|
Quoted:
They touch on this in the book One Second After. Cliff notes, they will roll over and die. Only question is if they will take others with them. To a point I agree. Folks with serious issues will flame out meltdown etc. Most of the rest? It can go either way. Susi Soccermom or Henry hockeydad who are "depressed" because their bored and/or can't figure out why they are millionaires and/or burnt out on keeping up with the Jones ain't gonna be bored anymore. Some will fold some will deal. Just like "preppers" and "sheepdogs". Some will make it some will fold some will meltdown when they discover the arfpoacalypse ain't like they day dreamed about. |
|
VA sends me a supply of mood altering drugs every 90 days, sometimes I take 'em and sometimes i don't.
I'll be ok, I think so will anybody else on them. I personally dont' believe I need them, but drs think i do. i expect that probably applies to many otehrs too. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Another thread got me to thinking. It seems to me sometimes that EVERYONE but me is on some type of mood altering med (legal). Young, old, infirmed, mothers, grandpa's, students..... Everyone is taking a pill to wake up, a pill to go to sleep, a pill for anxiety, a pill for depression, a pill for hyperactive, a pill for weight loss, a pill for weight gain....... On and on and on. It seems no one can cope with ANY kind of difficulty. I can't tell you the number of times someone brings an injured animal in to the hospital and mom is standing there digging through her purse more worried about her anxiety medication than the dog that has just been hit my the car. I am not talking about pain meds for injuries and such (although that is at epic proportions right now also). I am just wondering how that population will (or will not) deal with a severe economic depression? I know that the people in NY are suffering right now, but they do have the option of going out of the area and getting what they need. What happens if on a large scale these things become hard to obtain or too expensive? Just kind of thinking out loud. Will those be the first batch to be volunteering for Darwin awards? Kind of the same crowd who refuses to prep when they see a hurricane the size of Europe headed for NY. Doc I dont take drugs of any kind. No smoking, no heavy drinking (occasional beer every once in a while or glass of wine). I wont allowed it in my house either. The way I see it, if you have "issues" going on, then just MTFU and deal with it. FerFAL Same here. No appreciable caffine or nicotine, -lots- of RO water, very little sodas, occasional drink, but when I go for the occasional physical, my docs seem to want to find someting to put me on. So far they have failed. 
Knock on wood. Take vitamins and 'food suppliments' though... |
|
The few people I've known that have been on some sort of mood-altering prescription drug the majority of their lives, I feel will completely lose it. They'll either check out or someone will punch their ticket. And since we're talking about people I know that do this, they're all already batshit crazy. Most of them being women.
I'm a smoker, weekend drinker, and daily caffeine addict (though I recently switched from coffee to tea). If TEOTWAWKI (or even a temporary supply interruption) comes, those won't be available and I'll be healthier for it, and drive on. Pill poppers not so much. Hard core druggies won't last long either IMO. |