Re. medication requiring a prescription:

It's the closest option to "I don't need prescription medication"

There seems to be a growing movement that believes Rx drugs are an unnecessary vice foisted on the unwitting public by greedy pharmaceutical corporations. And while this isn't necessarily 100% false, there are many people who need these drugs to survive. Unfortunately, without insurance, even one Rx drug can often cost more than a monthly mortgage payment. Hopefully in the future a balance can be struck between, "I need this medicine because the television says I'm unhappy" and, "I'm going to die because I can't afford this medicine."

Transgendered people aren't "in the wrong body" any more than a woman wanting breast implants has the "wrong" body. They have a psychological condition that makes them feel that way. It is, indeed, all in their head, and that's an important distinction. It means that one day we may be able to treat the root cause and let them be happy in their natural bodies. With physical disorders, that's not an option.

However, for now, the current state of medicine has no way of treating the root cause. They have an idée fixe about how their body should be, and the best we can do to alleviate their suffering is adjust their body to match their wishes. There is plenty of evidence that this method works -- it's just expensive and painful.

I do agree with you that the notion of someone getting a sex change for kicks is laughable. As if some guy, tired of hiking and white water rafting, might decide to be a woman for a few years. You know, just to mix things up a bit. Maybe if we can get Sylvester McMonkey McBean to make a machine for us....

You are very lucky your meds are so reasonably priced.Many drugs are a LOT more. And that says nothing about the general lack of universal medical care in the USA. Truly, I believe Americans must be the most uncaring, selfish people in the world to have such a rich society, and such a lack of services that are provided by the government in all other western states.

Why do Americans not think twice about military or prison expenses, but baulk at anything that actually helps people?

Prescription drugs are not a lifestyle choice, they aren't something you do for fun, or "abstain" from to be a good person or tough guy or something. They are there to deal with medical issues. If you don't need any, that's wonderful. However if you do there is no shame in it, nothing wrong, it is just that your body has a problem, one that science can help. Better that than having a problem which science cannot, of which there are still many.

Now that isn't to say that people don't abuse various drugs, of course, but that is completely separate from proper use. If you need a drug, then you should take it.

I've always found this attitude stupid, particularly since if you live to an old age, you almost certainly will be on some drugs regularly. As the body ages and has more troubles, drugs are often needed to help. If you are lucky, your conditions are ones that we have developed drugs to treat.

I've seen the other side of it, my grandma has Alzheimer's, and it is progressing pretty rapidly. I doubt she'll know who she is in a year. Unfortunately, there are no effective drug treatments for it, there is nothing that can be done except to watch her slowly lose her mind.

Were there a drug that could treat it, there would be no shame in taking it, and no pride in "abstaining".

Diabetes is an excellent example. Prior to insulin, people used to die from it. If you developed it, you had a death sentence. You could prolong your life a bit with some dietary changes, but you were going to die from it, and usually go blind first. Now, people can live full lives because of it (and some other medications).

If you don't need any drugs, by all means don't take any and be glad. However don't "abstain" if you do need them. The increases in length and quality of life we have are not coincidence, they are a result of medical science and drugs are a part of that.

Don't abstain from a medication that manages a condition any more than you'd abstain from a antibiotic that saves your life from an infection.