Color me cynical, but I've had it up to here with SLEEPING PILL commercials on television. I won't lay my head down to the politically correct pharma police and call them SLEEP AIDS. I'm not going to do it. It's not honest. All I want to know is, when did we all lose the ability to sleep?
I guess I was, well, sleeping.
You simply can't watch television anymore without watching seductive, dishonest and pathetic commercials selling you the inability to sleep in the form of Rozerem, Ambien, and Lunesta. I almost long for the days when it was just erectile dysfunction commercials slamming us 24/7. With all these commercials selling us the idea of basic dysfunction, what's there really to watch on television these days?
I have a huge bone to pick with the Rozerem television commercials that seem to run all the time, especially during prime time. I think you know the commercial I'm talking about. It's the one with Honest Abe, a beaver, and a man who looks like a regular Joe. There's nothing honest, and everything horrible, about this television commercial. Honest Abe and the beaver tell us that "at least half of all adults experience some insomnia at least twice a week." This is dangerous nonsense.
I wasn't asked if I experience insomnia. Were you? Pure dishonesty. What an insult to forner President Lincoln. Not to mention all the beavers. Or all the regular Joes. Do the makers of Rozerem think we are really so stupid, television commercials will help put a prescription or two in every household? I believe so. We need to (and no pun intended) wake up to the fact that every single human activity is now subject to drugging. Whatever happened to the War on Drugs? Whatever happened to free will? Whatever happened to our ability to use the power of the free market - our choice - and refuse to be drugged for, of all things, sleeping?
Again, when did we all lose the ability to sleep?
Another thing about the Rozerem television commercial that makes my blood boil is the latest reason why we should all either be taking sleeping pills, antidepressants, going to a buffet every night, or just flat throw in the towel. Stress at work. That's right. Stress at work. Television commercials for sleeping pills and antidepressants always show one of the main reasons to join the "newly drugged" is because of stress at work.
Here's some advice, and it won't cost your health insurance $190.00 for a 30 day supply. Get a new job! Start exercising. Become more confident. Perhaps join a public speaking club like Toastmasters to finally allow yourself to spread your wings. Do anything other than give in to being drugged for everything in life we all have to go through at some level.
Personally, one of the things I do every day to combat stress, and thus sleep better and feel better, is walk. Five miles or so a day. I have an older shepherd mix, so she goes with me for part of the walk everyday, and I pick up the rest on my own. What's done is done, as it is a great feeling to walk for a good 60-75 minutes a day. It's natural, and there is no political correctness tied to it like there is with drugs to make you allegedly feel better, when there are side effects to them you will not experience by simply taking control of your own life.
Sure, life is hard. However, think of how much harder life is with your loss of liberty and freedom, when you do not allow yourself to take control of what is stressing you. Where is the freedom in having to take a sleeping pill and antidepressants to function? When will it ever stop? When will you start doing something different? Who told you this is the normal course of life? What makes all of this possible?
You can take this or leave it. The next time a Rozerem television commercial comes on the air when you are watching a show you really like, press the mute button on your remote. Close your eyes when Honest Abe and the beaver are pimping yet another regular Joe or Josephine to take Rozerem because of "stress", and make a committment to doing natural things to feel better.
Or do you really believe actors dressed up as a former President and a talking beaver know what's best for you and your family?
Zizza is a freelance writer who resides in Atlanta, Georgia. He writes frequently about mental health issues.
