There are some things we shouldn't sound happy about...

During my high school years, I took mainly business classes. I have worked many office jobs and held to the lessons I was taught about answering the phone with a smile on my face. By doing this simple act, you are able to automatically sound happy to the person on the other end of the line.  This is a great piece of advice. HOWEVER, I feel that there are just certain times you should not use that tactic.

We have all heard the commercials about different medications. I am sure we can all agree that we are left to wonder whether our ailment is really that hard to deal with after listening to the side effects.   I have normally heard a man’s voice rattle through the list so fast that you almost don’t have time to even comprehend what he is saying. The other day I was busy picking things up and heard a commercial in the background. I stopped, my hands full of laundry, and stared in disbelief at the TV. It was a woman’s voice. You could tell she was smiling as she spoke although you could not see her. She began in her cheery tone, “Talk to your doctor before taking this drug. There have been reports of difficulty swallowing while taking this medication as well as stomach upset, diarrhea, headaches, skin rashes, insomnia, and loss of vision. Depression, suicidal thoughts, and possible death may occur.”

There are just some things you should not sound happy about. I would think a voice of alarm would be more appropriate along with slowing down so we could catch all that information. Maybe a more compassionate, slow-speaking, male voice needs to be announcing the effects. Something along this line:   “I would like to inform you of the issues you may be up against if you take this medication.  You could possibly break out in a severe skin rash for which you would have to take another prescription.  Soak that in for a moment…. You may go blind. I want you to really think about whether your insomnia is all that bad for which you are considering this medication.  Even if you are able to sleep, you may fill your days with being sick to your stomach accompanied by migraines and diarrhea…. Are you still willing to try it?  How about trying a glass of hot milk first?”

I am not trying to make light of the conditions people suffer and I am not against medication.  Some of the effects just seem a bit extreme. I understand that people just want the suffering to end but at what cost?   My mind is still trying to wrap around what I heard.  I am left to wonder if this woman was trying too hard to do the best job she could or if the tactic of the cheery voice is to make the effects sound like they are really not that big of deal.  Maybe she was hired to be the Pied Piper of Pharmaceuticals.