I have never left a review on any platform, ever. Yet, I felt compelled to here. I was raised in a farming and ranching family and I desire more than anyone that the western lifestyle be supported and heard. I have listened to many episodes of the Gauge before coming across the conversation with guests from the Cow Horse Full Contact podcasters. They have all been great. Keep working at it, but please take my words of advice.
On this particular episode, I was hoping to get a glimpse on the training aspects that go into making cow horse. Instead the host talks specifically about wanting western culture to be well represented in the mainstream media. He states, “so we can have mainstream representation from an intelligent standpoint”. The group talks about medical providers pushing pills to patients. In this particular case, they discussed an instance where a physician was urging a young girl to take anxiety medication. They argued that the mask mandate was fueling the anxiety, which I don’t disagree with. I am not a mask supporter. They then go on to discuss distrust of medical providers. At one point saying “it says this is for depression, but may give you thoughts of suicide. What moron thought this was a good idea”. They go on to laugh, “do you think that they [medical providers] care?”. To top it off, they continue making jokes about suicide.
I am one of those medical providers prescribing these medicines. Farmers, ranchers, and people of the western lifestyle please don’t listen to these guys and instead wake up. According to the CDC farmers are among the most likely to die by suicide compared to other occupations. Researchers found that individuals in the agriculture trade had the highest suicide rate of all occupations from 1992 to 2010. The rate was 3.5 times that of the general population.
Now I have no idea what the physician-patient conversation the podcasters referred to was like. But chances are they were not present either. Yet, the group gave listeners the general consensus not to trust medical providers. Especially when it comes to mental health. That is garbage. We do care. Do medicines have side effects? Of course. Can some cause suicidal thoughts? Unfortunately yes. But these same medicines have helped millions of people. Now don’t go thinking I am a pill pusher. I am the first to tell you that getting off social media, stopping video games, and getting outdoors will help. If you need medication, that is fine too. Please find a medical provider you trust. We are not all bad and most want to help. Don’t let these fools without a medical degree tell you what is best. All in all I am disappointed with The Gauge. We are trying to give western influencers a respected voice but so far they are failing.
