re: Why are so many people on anti depressants?

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Is that why it is so darn difficult to get a call back from you guys when we have a question about a patients meds or need for antibiotic premed?

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Depends on if they're an arse or not. And if they'll help me out on uninsured patients that REALLY need a dentist.

Most of the time, I try to get back to them in short order.

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And much of the effect of anti-depressants is placebo. We'd prescribe a lot less if we could still conspire with the pharmacists to rx placebo meds.

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Right out of undergrad I got a job in pharma. I remember having this discussion with the head of medical affairs about the efficacy of placebos in the treatment of hypertension. I asked him why we didn't sell a placebo. He said that the patients that had a response from placebo should instead be treated by psychiatrists.

He was probably right. I sometimes use the placebo effect when treating denture patients with phantom sore spots under their dentures. The assistant knows to have a block of denture acrylic on the setup. I take their denture and grind on the block instead of their denture, place it back in their mouth and they always say that it "feels much better". I don't charge for the appointment in this case. It works every time.

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But people have been convinced by marketing, friends, media, etc that they need these meds and there is a fix for everything. Nobody wants to DO things to improve their situation. Our politicians have convinced these folks that someone should always fix their problems for them. Whether it's a med or a bailout or give away, it's not our faults and someone should take care of us with no effort or sacrifice on our part.

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It's sad, but truer words have never been written! These people are weak of mind though.