Side Effects -or- The Pharmaceutical Industry
Jane, 29 American
I have had the same recurring dream every night for almost the last two weeks.
My boyfriend, John, is away for two weeks on a military mission. I have been dreaming that when he returns, he will be breaking up with me. I went to visit him where he was stationed for two weeks and told him my dream and he said that this was really wierd and he had no thoughts of that. The girl that he breaks up with me for (in my dream) is someone else that I know but am not close with and hardly see. The dreams always contain a fight about me wanting to keep our relationship and he has to end it because he always says "this isn't what he wants." I usually wake up around this time and realize it is only a dream. Then sometimes when I fall asleep again, I can continue the dream where I left off even if I am not thinkng about it while I am awake.
I am currently taking Zoloft (anti-depressant) to control the Seratonin levels in my brain. Would this have an effect on my dreaming? I have never experienced anything like this before. Please help. Thank you.
Mr Hagen's Response: Side Effects -or- The Pharmaceutical Industry
Taking Your Medicine -or- The Bowl of Hygieia
"All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous." Paracelsus
Hygieia (from which the word hygiene derives) was the daughter of the ancient Greek god of medicine Asclepius As a metaphor, the bowl of Hygieia symbolized taking your medicine to maintain and restore well-being. Some take the perspective that the bowl of Hygieia and her snake are a symbol of living in harmony with mother earth.
The bowl of Hygieia has become the symbol of the American Pharmacists Association and the Canadian Pharmacist Association depicted as a medicine bowl.
Paracelsus: Father of Western Pharmacology
Paracelsus was a pioneer in the modern use of chemicals and minerals in medicine. His view of the health and sickness of the body relied on the concept of chemical harmony of man's body. Parcelsus believed that humans must have certain balances of chemicals and minerals, and that illnesses of the body were in fact due to chemical imbalances. Paracelsus believed that, chemical remedies could be found to cure physical illnesses.
The Pharmaceutical Industry: A Hard Pill to Swollow
According to some sources the global spending of medical prescription drugs had reached 643 billion dollars in 2006. The pharmaceutical industry, globally advertizes their drugs everyday; pills for cancer, sleeping pills (hypnotics), heart medications, headaches, pain killers, inflamation, hyper-tension/muscles relaxors, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood thinners, heartburn, depression, erectile dysfunction and so on.
Hippocratic Oath -or- Do no Harm
The original, ancient Hippocratic Oath begins with the invocation "I swear | by Apollo the Physician and by Asclepius and by Hygieia and Panacea and by all the gods ..."
Physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners are perhaps the most important players in pharmaceutical sales because they write the prescriptions that determine which drugs will be used by the patient. Influencing the people who write the prescriptions is often seen as the key to pharmaceutical sales.
The Prescription: Side Effects
Most medications are toxic in some ways, they have side effects and can cause adverse drug reactions. The fact that they can also influence dreams is less reported or advertised. Zoloft does have side effects and you can read about some of them following this link (Zoloft).
The best course of action is to discuss your dreams and symptoms with your family physician.
Hope these thoughts are helpful.
Mark H