“What particularly worries me is the widely held belief that if something is sold over the counter, marked as ‘natural’ or endorsed online, then it must automatically be safe and harmless, while prescribed medicines are somehow toxic,” she added. “As doctors, we know this simply is not true.”
Unfortunately many people’s experience says otherwise.
Doctors are often too happy to prescribe medication instead of a change in diet or exercise. Too often happy to use chemistry to fix problems that are societal or political. Too happy to prop up the capitalist pharmaceutical industry that treats patients as guinea pigs. That’s why many have turned to alternative medicines. Trust has been eroded in professional medicine. Too many people have had bad experiences with professional medicine.
I personally would still trust a GP over a TikToker, but I am skeptical of everything they say and still read up on it afterwards. I’m well educated and can relatively confidently do that. Mostly understanding what I’m reading. Many aren’t or don’t know where to go to read, so can’t be confident, so they rely on their social interactions instead.
This is an institutional problem that needs fixed at the Cabinet level, and yet nothing constructive will likely be done. Some bullshit like banning nutritional advise online perhaps, which won’t fix anything.
No people do alternative medicines because tiktok tells them to.
A doctors job is not to be your dietician or personal trainer. You go there to get a pill that fixes your stuff. Everybody knows whether they need better food or more exercise. You don’t need a doctor to tell you that. You can ask them during checkup if there are specific changes you need, but nobody actually does that. How many times do you hear fat people who don’t want to go to the doctor because he’s going to tell them they need to loose weight? It is happening, but people want the pill instead.
Alternative medicine is a big scam that does a lot of advertising. To the point where the US DHS pushes it now.
I think the combo of Covid and algorithms broke peoples brain.
You have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a doctor is.
A medical doctor… …is a health professional who practices medicine. Medicine aims to promote, maintain or restore health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease, injury, and other physical and mental conditions.
In the modern era that has most often been practiced via chemistry’s interaction with biology. Or as you put it, a pill. But prescribing pills is not their job, it’s just a function of it. Their job is to ensure good health and often that is best done via other means than chemistry. Chemistry is just the first port of call for many doctors because that’s one of the main things they’re taught and it’s a simple solution to a complex problem. But not always the best solution.
A doctors job is to be your dietician or personal trainer if that’s the best course of action. Obviously, not literally, they’ll give advice or refer you to others. But that’s the idea.
Many people do need a doctor to tell them to eat better or exercise. Nutrition is complicated. Many don’t know what contains carbs, proteins, or fat. Not to mention micronutrients. And then you’ve got to have the time, energy, knowledge, and finances to buy and prepare this healthier food. The time and energy to exercise after working 40h a week, commuting 5-10 hours a week, performing household chores, and potentially raising children.
The simple solution of pills has had many negative effects for people, so now they’re looking elsewhere. If people were happy and satisfied with their medical experiences they wouldn’t listen to influencers on TikTok, but they do. And it’s not because TikTok has some magical hypnotic brainrot function, people are dissatisfied and looking for alternative solutions. TikTok says it has the answers, so they give it a try.
Zombie@feddit.uk 6 days ago
Unfortunately many people’s experience says otherwise.
Doctors are often too happy to prescribe medication instead of a change in diet or exercise. Too often happy to use chemistry to fix problems that are societal or political. Too happy to prop up the capitalist pharmaceutical industry that treats patients as guinea pigs. That’s why many have turned to alternative medicines. Trust has been eroded in professional medicine. Too many people have had bad experiences with professional medicine.
I personally would still trust a GP over a TikToker, but I am skeptical of everything they say and still read up on it afterwards. I’m well educated and can relatively confidently do that. Mostly understanding what I’m reading. Many aren’t or don’t know where to go to read, so can’t be confident, so they rely on their social interactions instead.
This is an institutional problem that needs fixed at the Cabinet level, and yet nothing constructive will likely be done. Some bullshit like banning nutritional advise online perhaps, which won’t fix anything.
MareOfNights@discuss.tchncs.de 6 days ago
No people do alternative medicines because tiktok tells them to.
A doctors job is not to be your dietician or personal trainer. You go there to get a pill that fixes your stuff. Everybody knows whether they need better food or more exercise. You don’t need a doctor to tell you that. You can ask them during checkup if there are specific changes you need, but nobody actually does that. How many times do you hear fat people who don’t want to go to the doctor because he’s going to tell them they need to loose weight? It is happening, but people want the pill instead.
Alternative medicine is a big scam that does a lot of advertising. To the point where the US DHS pushes it now.
I think the combo of Covid and algorithms broke peoples brain.
Zombie@feddit.uk 6 days ago
You have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a doctor is.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_doctor
In the modern era that has most often been practiced via chemistry’s interaction with biology. Or as you put it, a pill. But prescribing pills is not their job, it’s just a function of it. Their job is to ensure good health and often that is best done via other means than chemistry. Chemistry is just the first port of call for many doctors because that’s one of the main things they’re taught and it’s a simple solution to a complex problem. But not always the best solution.
A doctors job is to be your dietician or personal trainer if that’s the best course of action. Obviously, not literally, they’ll give advice or refer you to others. But that’s the idea.
Many people do need a doctor to tell them to eat better or exercise. Nutrition is complicated. Many don’t know what contains carbs, proteins, or fat. Not to mention micronutrients. And then you’ve got to have the time, energy, knowledge, and finances to buy and prepare this healthier food. The time and energy to exercise after working 40h a week, commuting 5-10 hours a week, performing household chores, and potentially raising children.
The simple solution of pills has had many negative effects for people, so now they’re looking elsewhere. If people were happy and satisfied with their medical experiences they wouldn’t listen to influencers on TikTok, but they do. And it’s not because TikTok has some magical hypnotic brainrot function, people are dissatisfied and looking for alternative solutions. TikTok says it has the answers, so they give it a try.