The Modern Quest for Heaven

The New York Times had a fascinating article today about an increasingly normal behavior and emerging culture of self-medicating young people. That is, people in their 20's and 30's who share prescription medications such as anti-depressants and stimulants and make amateur diagnoses of themselves and their friends' mental troubles. There seem to be more and more people all the time seeking relief and geater control of their lives by medicating their brains.

The article is "Young, Assured and Playing Pharmacist to Friends," by Amy Harmon:

For a sizable group of people in their 20's and 30's, deciding on their own what drugs to take - in particular, stimulants, antidepressants and other psychiatric medications - is becoming the norm. Confident of their abilities and often skeptical of psychiatrists' expertise, they choose to rely on their own research and each other's experience in treating problems like depression, fatigue, anxiety or a lack of concentration. A medical degree, in their view, is useful, but not essential, and certainly not sufficient.

It's my generation's own way of seeking heaven, enlightenment, salvation, peace, balance, normality. We're building on the past, on our ancestors who sought as well and invented psychiatry and New Age and the counterculture of the 1960's and all these new drugs. But it's not just drugs -- we're mixing psychology and prescription drugs with technology and socializing, sharing on- and offline about medications, side-effects, experiences with therapists and doctors, war stories of our symptoms, as well as sympathy, encouragement and compassion (see all of the above on the Bipolar blog).

We see therapists or psychiatrists, have referenced the DSM IV, have read stacks of books on psychology, philosophy, religion, have attempted religious practice, drugs, dream analysis, lucid dreaming, TM, affirmations, maintaining better boundaries, getting in touch with our inner child, punching pillows and various forms of escapist fun. We don't buy religion any more -- maybe scared us for a few years there, had us going. But if God could've provided solutions for things like depression and anxiety, we'd know about them by now.

Well, this is where I can no longer relate because I realize I've found two things that help me more than any of the things listed above: working out at the gym and writing. Life's never going to be perfect. I try to remember that. I'm not a kid anymore. I don't expect eternal happiness, world peace or nirvana. On the other hand, I don't expect the end of the world either. Things are going to go on like this for a long time, long after we are gone. So, I am learning to lower my expectations. That's another thing that helps. I'm grateful too. Grateful for the good when it's there, when it comes and after it's gone.

Still, it is fascinating what's going on with psychology, one of the softest sciences, and psychopharmacology, with young people taking control of their lives in new ways, with the modern American version of the quest to end suffering.