Love watching Bill O’Reilly on Fox, because he usually makes me laugh, if not the absurdity of a guest or one of his little sarcastic retorts, just watching the futility of our society can be just ridiculous in a humorous tone at times.  Tonight though, not a real laugh for the little I watched.  His first segment was about what is wrong with this country, and I think he nailed it right on the head:  our culture is nowadays clueless, people expect a handout, are entitled to being bailed out, there is no accountability for poor choice, welfare is not a transition but a way of life now.

Hopefully by the time I am finished this post, I can link the Talking Points memo I refer to above:  http://video.foxnews.com/v/2176706583001/what-is-the-biggest-problem-facing-the-country-today/?intcmp=HPBucket&playlist_id=940325740001  (think it worked!)

Dependency is not just an addiction term anymore, it is a lifestyle and choice that too many people make consciously, and show little humility nor concern for consequences.  Take the behaviors of more and more patients that drive the mission statement of this blog:  people really think that medications, forget meds of physical dependency like benzos or stimulants, will treat their stressors.  I saw someone recently who is a 24/7 caregiver to an in law and at the end of the session was disappointed I did not recommend a new medication or dose increase of the patient’s current meds, including a benzo in this case, and while claiming my request to see the separate therapist more often would be prudent and wise, comes out to the front office after we were done and asks to set up the next therapy appointment when I planned to follow up with the patient for the next med check:  in 6-8 weeks.

Dependency is PART of life, at times mind you, not all of it.  I can’t speak for anyone else but myself, but why do colleagues encourage patients to go on disability when many patients have at worst temporary problems, that treatment will enable people to return to effective function and good health?  Are you aware that over 90% of patients who pursue federal disability and get it are still on it 10 years later?  And we are NOT talking about schizophrenia or profound organic disorders, nor entrenched mood disorders.  And here is the reality that I think too many colleagues just refuse to entertain:  getting patients to pursue a restoration of mental well being is a legitimate effort, but, I really think more people, clinicians as much as patients, think that spending time, money, and energy is just too much to ask of average people these days.  Oh, and our esteemed leader in the White House, he really doesn’t want people to be independent and self sufficient, because I really think it detracts from his grand plan.  But, that is another post, fairly much one I ran over 2 weeks ago in the first place!

Well, this post has been moreso one of a rant, but, I sat down to write it because the premise that we are in trouble because we have dysfunctional government is not the fault of our politicians, but, ourselves, because as a fan of George Carlin, I love the end of his 1996 show “Back in Town”, when he rails about politicians and the people when he says so eloquently (much to my wife’s chagrin to have to hear yet again!):  “where do politicians come from, they come from American families, American homes, American schools, …and are put into office by American citizens.  This is the best we’ve got folks, garbage in, garbage out.  So, maybe it is not the politicians who suck, but, the public.  Yeah, there’s a campaign slogan, the public sucks, F— hope!”

Well, if we truly want to see this country improve, to take positive and effective strides to regain our momentum in a beneficial way, maybe it is time to stop looking for dependent outs, and to instead try to look for self empowering, effort motivating, and independent acts to make things right.

In other words, look for something to help that is NOT in a tablet or capsule as a start!

But, when Yoda tries to empower Luke Skywalker to raise the ship out of the waters, Luke can only coldly reply, “you ask for the impossible!”

Yeah, maybe a bit of reframing here:  I’m possible!!!

Feb 21 2013 addendum:  please go to the comments section here and listen/watch the accompanying video Dr O’Brien attached re: Adam Corolla’s rant about welfare and staying dependent.  So on the mark, I will not say anything else!