Iactrogenesis is the third leading cause of death in the western world. Iatrogenesis is the name given to the cause of death by medicine. It comes after heart disease and cancer. It isn’t just over medication that is the cause of death, or the prescription of the wrong medicine. Unnecessary deaths can be caused by surgery, equipment or safety procedure failure and transfusions.
Interestingly, no doctor understands, or seems to consider, the dangerous interaction of more than one medicine. Yet few people take a single medicine. Most are on more than one.
Many years ago, I remember watching a play about a man who died undergoing surgery. He instinctively felt that surgery was not the answer for him and was not in favour of it. However, his wife employed emotional blackmail to convince him. So against his better judgement and instincts, he went ahead.
This was just a play, but it could so easily be real life. And I’m sure it has happened many times and will continue to do so.
What concerns me is our lack of concern for the feelings of others and for our own instincts. No treatment, however good, is 100%. Health is a fickle element to deal with. There are many factors to consider, many of which are hidden or not considered.
But everyone knows, at a deep level, what is right for them and what is wrong for them. This instinct has been discouraged as there is more money to be made by making people dependent on others. But we can never be happy or healthy looking outside of ourselves for the solutions. Yes, we can ask for outside help. But we can also reject it if it doesn’t feel right.
It’s all about how it feels to you. What is right for you, may be wrong for 99% of the rest of the world. That should not concern you.
The other factor is that those we are close too seem to have an unnatural (and unhelpful) desire to tell us what to do. This lacks respect for our own abilities. I believe the job of those closest to us is not to give advice, but to listen. For some reason, we often find the solution to life’s problems by talking to someone, rather than say, ourselves or a wall. This healing mechanism can be profound, when the other person remains silent, simply listening.
I believe that to listen to someone without comment honours them and their inherent abilities to solve the problem. It not only helps them with the current problem it also boosts their self confidence, ensuring they can deal more effectively in the future.
Giving our power away to others, for whatever reason can sign our death warrant, perhaps prematurely.
Taking medication is also very personal. Sometimes it feels wrong to take it, sometimes it feels right. I routinely suggest to people that this is how they should use their homeopathic remedies. Often that simply means you take it when you remember (and so need) to, and forget when you don’t need it.
This way works very well with those who are already on their journey of self discovery. But it can sound like double dutch to those yet to embark on it. For those I simply ask them to watch out for it to happen, while setting a rigid re-dosing schedule.
I strongly believe iatrogenesis could disappear altogether if people were more in tune with themselves, less dependent on others for the solution to all their problems. With probably a conservative estimate of around one million iatrogenic deaths in the US per year, this is a serious problem. Look within for the solutions and for the feelings. With practice, you will come to rely on this vital asset you may not know you have.
Homeopathy is a great natural choice of health care that has no dangers to it.