View source for Pharmacological Calvinism

'''Pharmacological Calvinism''' is a term describing the disapproving or condemning attitude of some [[People of the United States|Americans]] to the use of [[psychotropic medication]]. It reflects a perceived general distrust of [[drug]] use for purposes of restoring or attaining [[pleasure]] or [[happiness]]. The term was first used in 1972<ref>Klerman, G.L. (1972), "Psychotropic hedonism vs. pharmacological Calvinism", ''[[Hastings Cent Rep.]]'' Sep;2(4):1-3.</ref> by the late [[psychiatrist]] [[Gerald L.Klerman]] (1929-1992<ref>Lambert, Bruce (1992),[http://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/05/nyregion/gerald-l-klerman-63-an-expert-on-depression-and-schizophrenia.html?pagewanted=1 “Gerald L. Klerman, 63, an Expert On Depression and Schizophrenia”] (Obit), ''[[The New York Times]]'' (April 5).</ref>). According to this view, the only legitimate use of drugs is for the purpose of [[cure|curing]] or [[Therapy|treating]] [[illness]] and [[disease]].

[[Peter D. Kramer]] defined the concept of pharmacological Calvinism as “a general distrust of drugs used for non-therapeutic purposes and a conviction that if a drug makes you feel good it must be morally bad”.<ref>Kramer, Peter (1993), ''Listening to Prozac'', [[New York, NY]]: [[Viking Press|Viking]]</ref>. 

Those advocating this outlook may see pain and suffering as vital aspects of the [[human condition]] and take the view that to absolve people of these experiences would remove an essential aspect of their humanity. Thus, this use of [[pharmaceutical]]s is seen by some as dangerously [[dehumanizing]]. Klerman wrote at a time when there was growing concern about American drug use, both legal ([[tranquilizer]]s) and illegal ([[cannabis]], [[LSD]], etc.) The stoic attitude that strong people tough it out, while weak, self-indulgent people give in and seek an artificial, chemical release from life’s travails, persists among many Americans today. This manifests itself in the current controversies surrounding the widespread use of [[antidepressant]]s (especially [[SSRI]]s) and other [[neurocognitive enhancer]]s such as ''[[Ritalin]]'' for [[attention deficit disorder]]. 

It has been pointed out that, strictly speaking, Klerman misrepresents [[Calvinism|Calvinist theology]] in the use of this term.<ref>[[Louis Menand|Menand, Louis]] (2010)
[http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2010/03/01/100301crat_atlarge_menand "Head Case"], ''[[The New Yorker]]''; March 1 issue.</ref>

==References==
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[[Category:Pharmacology]]
[[Category:Anti-psychiatry]]
[[Category:Civil rights and liberties]]
[[Category:Identity politics]]
[[Category:Medical ethics]]
[[Category:Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants]]
[[Category:Transhumanism]]
[[Category:Psychiatric treatments]]
[[Category:Psychoactive drugs| ]]
[[Category:Bioethics]]
[[Category:Ethics of science and technology]]
[[Category:Neuroscience]]


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