I don't think I watch a lot of TV, but I do seem to be seeing more and more commercials for drugs these days. There are usually at least two per commercial break, and it doesn't seem to matter whether I'm watching a cable news channel, the SciFi channel, food network, or standard network TV channels. It has got me to thinking about how the constant exposure we have is lowering our expectations for having good health. Commercials are even making these conditions seem more friendly by using acronyms – do you have COP. PAD, LMNOP? If you're in with the in crowd, you must have something with a bunch of letters that makes you one of the special ones. Are you proud of your ailments? I'd rather use my LOA (another acronym) for good health and well being.
A few of these ads don't even tell you what the medication is for, but the suggestion is to "ask your doctor". Now, why in the world would I do that if I have nothing wrong with me? Just for general knowledge about a brand name drug?
What are we attracting by paying attention to this advertising? The expectation of poor health. There was a TV couple in a Walgreen ad just yesterday who were happy because they were safe because all of their prescriptions were at one pharmacy. And we could be happy, too. All of their prescriptions? What is that about? I realize that under certain circumstances it's necessary, but my expectation is to have no prescriptions at all.
Basically Mike and I are healthy. When we've visited his younger brother, we notice that one of the big topics of conversation is who has what ailment, who has gone into the hospital, whose parent is in a nursing home, what medications people are taking, and how that's the way things are when you get older. And Mike's brother and his partner both have health problems. Although I dearly love Mike's brother, I am glad to get away after a short visit.
One person that Mike knows and whom I've met is Al. Al does stuff. He was a commercial airline captain, an unlimited tonnage captain on large ships, owned hotels in Las Vegas. Last summer Al did most of a bike ride – that is bicycle ride – from Seattle to Baltimore by himself. He's done this a couple of times before. This time he cut it a bit short, not because he was tired or sick or bored, but because the traffic farther east was getting heavy and it was getting dangerous. This guy is always up to something interesting. He's not sitting home watching the medical ads on TV.
Oh by the way Al is 72 years old.
What kind of health are you attracting to yourself?
