December, 2006:

You don’t have to be 80 years old to say, “Back in my day…” I’m 32 years old and can distinctly recall things in my past, not too distant, that either have changed dramatically or have ceased to exist altogether in today’s world. Most notably are these “new” medical conditions, diseases, disorders, and maladies.

I just saw a commercial for a drug, I don’t recall what it was called exactly, but it was to treat this NEW condition called PMDD. This stands for Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. As found on UnderstandPMDD.com, PMDD is…

Women who have PMDD experience a combination of emotional and physical symptoms that are severe enough to significantly interfere with how they function at school, work or in their personal relationships. These symptoms occur during the 14 days before a woman’s period.

Now, you don’t have to be too old or experienced to know that what’s described above is call Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. It’s not PMDD… it’s PMS. Emotional roller coasters, cramps, bloating, irritability, depression… seriously, historically this has been known as Pre Menstraul Syndrome, right?

Why is this upsetting to me? Because it’s further evidence that previously understood conditions are being re-labelled by the pharmaceutical industry in order to sell more drugs.

This, dear readers, is absolute bullshit.

Back in my day (a whole 20 years ago), depression was called “sadness.” Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was called “stupidity.” Erectile Dysfunction was called “can’t get it up.” Back then, our kids weren’t doped up on Ritalin, we weren’t all doped up on Valium and Wellbutrin and Zoloft, and those of us that couldn’t get a hardon were called “unfortunate.” We LIVED with it, and that’s the way the cookie crumbled.

“But modern science has helped us understand these maladies,” you say. Bullshit, you sheep. The massive pharmaceutical companies that gross more in a year than many small nations have convinced us all through marketing and advertisements that we’re all sick… with something, and the only remedy is to medicate ourselves with guess what… their products!

Seriously, when YOU were a kid, do you EVER remember commercials for sleep aids? No, you don’t. And the reason you don’t is because back then, 10, 20, 30 years ago… people actually worked, as in physical labor, and if you do that (or excercise), you’re actually TIRED at the end of the day… and sleep wasn’t a problem. Today though, you can take Ambien and you’re all cool.