sad. this is one case where AA's rule of thumb is probably correct: the substance abuse and dependence is a character problem, and any of us with a problem like this need to recognize this and work on it - daily. forever. Out of this belief, it is obvious that a person with dependence will occasionally have problems - so a visit to the head shrinker may happen somewhere along the line. Out of that honest philosophy, there are many people who continue to have the problem, but manage it through sobriety, humbleness, etc. At the same time, in AA generally, pills are not seen as a cure. Some are quite anti-psychiatry - long before Tom Cruise made it cool. So, if you stumble into the office of a psychiatrist, they will begin prescribing pills - which might include anxiolytics, which give you a high and have strong abuse potential. Unfortunately, with the anti-psychiatry tendency, AA people can urge people off of needed, helpful psych meds - but with psych meds being given to everyone nowadays, the AA type skepticism of pills is deserved. --if anyone is interested, some twelve step meetings are "open" to visitors, and the organization does appreciate being able to educate health care professionals about AA. It can be eye-opening (I said eye-opening, not eye-opener!).

I'm not surprised he was trying to rob a bank -- anyone want to hazard a guess at how much 600 pills a month might have been costing him -- with or without insurance? That's obscene and the wrong guy is in jail. When are the docs and the drug companies going to take at least some of the heat for this sort of thing? And when is the public going to wake up?

I'm going to take an unpopular position (for this site anyway) and say that the patients bear more responsibility here. If a doctor was prescribing me 600 pills a month you can bet your ass, I'd be questioning that practice, especially based off of a diagnosis where there is no gross, chemical, or microscopic abnormality to be found.

A common thing that is missed is that when one is considered mentally ill one tends to believe whatever the doctor says.

600 pills is merely five bottles of pills with a 120 pill supply. Basically each of these prescriptions were probably to be taken four times a day.

So...it's not unheard of. The price for this however? Probably out of this world.

Also who is completely rational and functioning on these levels of meds? Add to that a week of zyprexa detox and you've got a powder keg.

I think the blame rests on the prescribing doctor and the court.

Thanks medsvstherapy @ 7:17. As a heavy substance abuser for years, I no longer take any sort of pill, even if I have a headache or cold. Drugs aren't the answer. They're part of the problem.

"I'm going to take an unpopular position (for this site anyway) and say that the patients bear more responsibility here."

More like all of it. His choices, no-one forced him to take them & I bet he went out and sought many of the scripts.

Although the doctor who prescribed Valium and Vicodin to someone with a history of drug abuse hardly looks very smart either.

Tony - hats off to you. I would bet that you have been doing awesome stuff with your life since getting sober.

@Neuroskeptic: I would not say all of it. Psychiatry is coercive. My doctor was sweet as pie until I started questioning his practices. He told me that if I didn't take Abilify, I'd probably commit crimes and cheat on my husband. He told me I would lose my job and be unable to work. He told me I would drive my family into financial ruin. All of this crap scared the bejesus out of me. I do not want to take psych drugs - and I don't really see how popping a pill could keep me from losing my job - but given his abuse- er, "treatment" - of me, I can see why some people would fold and just follow doctor's orders. People really are suffering and if a doctor tells them a pill (or 600) is going to help, then by god, they're going to try it.

That said, I think way too many people put the sole responsibility on their doctors' shoulders. It grates me when people say, "I begged him to take me off of [X MED] and he wouldn't, so I ended up in the hospital" Huh???? Unless the doctor was standing over your shoulder watching you swallow the pill (or injecting you with it), you always have a choice to NOT take it... and furthermore, the doctors work for US not the other way around. If they got you onto a drug, they have to help get you off. This "doctor made me do it" crap helps no one.