RW view of American habit of 'pill-popping'

[judnnc]

Anyone have any wisdom on this topic? My lady in Russia, during a recent conversation, expressed concern/displeasure over the fact that I had taken anti-depressants for a while after my divorce to my former AW.

She asked 'IF something bad/stressful happened in our relationship would I have to be worried about you falling into a deep depression?', and said something to the effect of no one in Russia takes pills except vitamins.

[Blues Fairy]

That was an absolutely silly and ill-informed statement; your lady seriously needs to educate herself. 

On the other hand, you can address her concern by saying that if anything so bad as to depress you to the point of pills should ever happen to your relationship, this will most likely be the point where she will no longer give a flying **** for your mental state.    :evil:

[Mars]

That was an absolutely silly and ill-informed statement; your lady seriously needs to educate herself.  

BF, I am not so sure the statement was 'silly or ill-informed.'

I have also experienced idea that FSUW are alarmed at virtually any pill taking by AM.
For instance, I take cholesterol lowering prescription medication along with Omega-3 Fish Oil, multivitamins, etc.

Virtually every FSUW I was with voiced concern about this saying that they and their family, friends avoid all pills.  I mostly (I think) was able to change their viewpoint (but who knows) by pointing out that by taking such medications, AM were on average able to live many more years than FSUM.

[judnnc]

I get the sense she thinks I have health problems 

[Blues Fairy]

BF, I am not so sure the statement was 'silly or ill-informed.'
Virtually every FSUW I was with voiced concern about this saying that they and their family, friends avoid all pills

If you met a certain number of poorly informed and paranoid women and their families, it does not mean ALL RW will avoid pills and express displeasure at other people taking them.  Most people in Russia have a perfectly reasonable attitude to medications and will use them where and when necessary.

[brave girl]

expressed concern/displeasure over the fact that I had taken anti-depressants for a while after my divorce to my former AW.

Sorry I do not want to offend you but it shows weakness in man and not proper for happy family.    brave girl

[mies]

Anyone have any wisdom on this topic? My lady in Russia, during a recent conversation, expressed concern/displeasure over the fact that I had taken anti-depressants for a while after my divorce to my former AW.

She asked 'IF something bad/stressful happened in our relationship would I have to be worried about you falling into a deep depression?', and said something to the effect of no one in Russia takes pills except vitamins.

taking antidepressants is very uncommon in FSU. Indeed - people either cope or drink alcohol. Also I am not sure depressions are very common, or at least that they are commonly diagnosed in FSU.

Another fact to consider - negative view of psychiatry by FSU people. Firstly - FSU is 100% intolerant to any disabilities - physical or mental. There are no accommodations in schools for kids with ADD - they get scolded and humiliated by teachers. All disabled people in general are either a life-long burden for their families, or they are abandoned by families to orphanages and similar institutions and settle there. I may be using a bit too gloomy colors - but it should give you a picture. It's nothing like it is in USA.
And finally - during the Soviet Times psychiatry was one of the tools of penitentiary system. Politically undesirable individuals were known to be locked into mental health clynics, were administered a course of "treatment" with psychotropic drugs, and degraded to the vegetable state.

Given all the factors above - average FSU citizen is very suspicious of any medications that treat psychological or psychiatric states and conditions. They ostracize people who have any mental or mood issues, and they never want to be associated with this group.

and final remark - the word "depression" is quite commonly used in casual Russian language, but in majority of cases it means mood fluctuations, and not the real depression. Therefore - the woman you are corresponding with became so alarmed when you said your depression was so severe that you had to take medicine for it.
 

[judnnc]

Sorry I do not want to offend you but it shows weakness in man and not proper for happy family.    brave girl

bravegirl, to me it shows willingness to seek help with a problem rather than resort to drinking all day. RM life span is 15 years less than AM. It does not show that I am weak, maybe in your culture it does, but in America it is very common for people to take advantage of science and medicine to assist them with a particular disorder.

Granted, many of us rely on pills to compensate for diet, exercise, etc, but in many cases medication-therapy combination can be very helpful.

[vwrw]

Judnnc, the girl did not mean that taking tablets is a sigh of weakness. She meant that your inability to stay mentally healthy in face of difficult and unpleasant situation or bad news is a sign of weakness. 

From my perspective, the question of your  GF is an expression of her concern over your vulnerability to stressful situations, NOT over your willingness to  take advantage of science and medicine.

[mies]

i second vwrw's opinion

[apple47]

Judnnc, the girl did not mean that taking tablets a sigh of weakness. She meant that your inability to stay mentally healthy in face of difficult and unpleasant situation or bad news is a sign of weakness. 

From my perspective, the question of your  GF is an expression of her concern over your vulnerability to stressful situations, NOT over your willingness to  take advantage of science and medicine.

                  Exactly my wife's view as well.


                                                       ...Larry

[Blues Fairy]

From my perspective, the question of your  GF is an expression of her concern over your vulnerability to stressful situations, NOT over your willingness to  take advantage of science and medicine.

i second vwrw's opinion

Ladies, do you think that making idiotic statements such as "no one in Russia takes pills except vitamins" is an appropriate way of expressing concern over the OP's vulnerability? 

[vwrw]

BF, certainly, the phrase that "no one in Russia takes pills except vitamins" is an ungrounded generalization. In my city in Russia, there probably more drug stores than bakery shops. If her statement was true, then there were no so many drug-stores in Russia. They all would wend to bankruptcy

[brave girl]

and said something to the effect of no one in Russia takes pills except vitamins.

beware!!
words are not accurate!!  brave girl

[boaterguy]

Judnnc, the girl did not mean that taking tablets is a sigh of weakness. She meant that your inability to stay mentally healthy in face of difficult and unpleasant situation or bad news is a sign of weakness. 

From my perspective, the question of your  GF is an expression of her concern over your vulnerability to stressful situations, NOT over your willingness to  take advantage of science and medicine.

BINGO! and for the 1st time reading Bravegirl's posts I agree with what she said!

[GQBlues]

I'm not a RW, nor am I aware of the OP's age, but based on the upper average age of FSU wife-seeking AMs, one would think that their targeted RW would be happy to make an exception for at least one *pill* - yes?

[JR]

taking antidepressants is very uncommon in FSU

Only because vodka doesn't come in pill form

Another fact to consider - negative view of psychiatry by FSU people. Firstly - FSU is 100% intolerant to any disabilities - physical or mental.
 
I have found that to be very VERY true!

[392ihc]

This is an interesting topic to me because I had a similar experience in my last trip to Russia.  The woman I went to meet was absolutely everything I had hoped for.  We had corresponded for several months prior to my trip.  I was in Russia for 30 days and spent the entire time with her.  We had an apartment in Moscow for 3 weeks and a hotel in St. Petersburg for one week.
I take medication for a variety of issues--none life threatening.  One is for thyroid problems, one is for cholesteral, and one is.........an anti-depressant!  And some assorted vitamins and asprin for the heart.  When you share a flat for a month it is very obvious that you take pills.  And she was very concerned about this!  Very concerned. I explained as much as I could....didn't seem to make any impression at first.  I even did some searching on the internet to assure her that these were not any sort of "recreational drugs".  Her initial attitude was the one expressed here....something is wrong with American men to take so many pills!  Russian men do not do this!  I used the line expressed above that vodka does not come in pills and yet it is a powerful drug......and is terribly abused in the FSU.  Later, in our month, she became sick and I went to an abteca to get her some pills.....imagine the lines I was in to get to the window to buy the drugs!  I began to notice that there were often one or two aptecas in every block of Moscow---and there were lines in every one!  Of course, you cannot buy asprin in "shops" like you do here.  You go to these drugstores even for OTC medicines.  But I agree that taking pills long-term was not viewed as one of my assets!  As our month went on, she never spoke about it again--especially after we discussed issues of chronic depression in her sister! 

[ECOCKS]

Actually, I would have said just the opposite with regard to medication.

They consume incredible amounts of antibiotics and home remedies the instant the sniffles set in.

Since their government health system follows the lead of society's view of mental and physical defectives I suspect their lack of Prozac, Zoloft and the like stems more from financial issues and that underlying stigma of mental issues than from a negative feeling of general "pill-popping".  
 
The problems with alcoholism and consumption are equally obvious as coping mechnisims.

It is also worth noting that there have been enough problems with pharmaceutical QA that many are afraid of vaccinations and a bit relieved when you verify the medicines came from the west.

[OlgaH]

In my city in Russia, there probably more drug stores than bakery shops. If her statement was true, then there were no so many drug-stores in Russia. They all would wend to bankruptcy

vwrw,

I was talking to my friend not long time ago. She said that our drug-stores already run out of flu masks and nasal drops  

[OlgaH]

no one in Russia takes pills except vitamins.

I have found some photos of the Russian vitamin-lovers  

[remiel6]

My FSU experience is admittedly not as extensive as others here, especially those born there  , but I do have a medical condition, told my fiance about it well before we met, as well as others and never had a problem. So I find the thread suprising to say the least. Curious are Ukrainians different in this respect then russians are? or am I really lucky? 

[ECOCKS]

They are the same on this.

[Misha]

Since their government health system follows the lead of society's view of mental and physical defectives I suspect their lack of Prozac, Zoloft and the like stems more from financial issues and that underlying stigma of mental issues than from a negative feeling of general "pill-popping".  

Valerian is used by many Russians for its calming effects. It may not be a pill, but it is consumed by many Russians to calm their nerves.

[ECOCKS]

Valerian is used by many Russians for its calming effects. It may not be a pill, but it is consumed by many Russians to calm their nerves.

No one says they don't have anything, just not to the degree or as commonly as we use it in the west.