And before the 1980s, people were medicated into living like zombies. There might be a cycle of skepticism and liberalism, but what what hasn't changed is that doctors can't feel your pain for you, and they can't know where the medication goes after they prescribe it.
Both of these are technical problems.
As for where it's more desirable to be on the cycle, in a climate of skepticism you can at least argue strenuously that you really, really need it. You can improve your own situation, by your own power. In a climate of liberalism we just have to hope that someone will notice and intervene on behalf of someone killing himself with drugs. One of these climates will result in an excess of pain; the other will result in an excess of death. Since neither is desirable, I suggest you focus on technical solutions rather than rabble-rousing to advance the cycle.
Both of these are technical problems.
As for where it's more desirable to be on the cycle, in a climate of skepticism you can at least argue strenuously that you really, really need it. You can improve your own situation, by your own power. In a climate of liberalism we just have to hope that someone will notice and intervene on behalf of someone killing himself with drugs. One of these climates will result in an excess of pain; the other will result in an excess of death. Since neither is desirable, I suggest you focus on technical solutions rather than rabble-rousing to advance the cycle.