Negligence of medication is one of the most devastating forms of akrasia. When we're prescribed a strict dosage of medicine to be taken regularly, we often don't follow up on it. Maybe the day of and the few days after we feel compelled, and even motivated to take it. After the doctor said "you have a severe vitamin D deficiency" we're woken up. But quickly we become blind once again because even though the tablets are within arm's reach on the kitchen counter, even though we're at risk for chronic weakness if we don't get ahead of it, we don't act on it it anyway. But there's nothing stopping us...except ourselves.
What's often disguised as laziness is just a lack of care. I've seen this especially with my parents, where even the threats of heart disease or diabetes don't force them to take their meds. These words, repeated to them so many times don't mean much anymore. Yes, heart disease is fatal, horrible is an understatement. Despite knowing this, the threat of the consequences are just it—a threat. Desensitization only makes this threat weaker over time. It seems out of reach, untouchable to them. This mentality is usually overcome when something bad really does happen. Bones easily start to break, a loved one passes. Now things become real, so you start taking your medications when it sadly might just be too late. Knowing something is bad simply isn't as impactful as experiencing it for yourself. That's what I interpret as the common culprit of akrasia in this circumstance.
A repressed fear can also amplify this. "I can't believe I'm at risk for arthritis, my parents take these pills. I'm getting so old..." One enters this state of denial as a defense mechanism to their unwanted realties. Psychology teaches us that avoiding these tablets from the beginning forms into a difficult habit. To avoid taking the medication also means the avoid the acceptance of one's state of health. So, we're positively reinforced to continue to avoid them because even though we know it's bad, it feels good at the moment. In the long run, avoidance feeds fear. Battling akrasia in this situation is is difficult. It takes a significant amount of willpower to face the facts, or it might even require someone else to step in.
It seems do obvious that if something is bad for you, don't do it. But this mental battle that we constantly string ourselves into makes us irrational and unreasonable. Sometimes having someone else there for you defeats having to deal with this akrasia that you may otherwise face on your own. With something as vital as medication, akrasia is more than a laughable story. It is ultimately a matter of life and death.
As someone who’s doctor has said repeatedly that I have a severe iron deficiency, this post was so relatable because sometimes I neglect to take care of myself as well. Despite knowing the risks, I still ignore the fact that there are very severe consequences associated with not taking my supplements, for the reasons you so eloquently put in your post; threats don’t seem threatening if they are never fulfilled. On top of that, my behavior is very ironic considering that I want to be a doctor 🤦♀️. This was overall an amazing post and definitely an eye-opener :)
ReplyDeleteNot taking medication as it was prescribed to you was a very interesting direction to go with this prompt, but you did it very well. I thought your style was executed very well, and in a very effective eye opening way!
ReplyDeleteI really liked that you talked about this because it is not only interesting, but it’s also a serious issue. I also liked your unity in the piece with how you started with talking about akrasia and ended about it.
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