Unfortunately, my resistance crumbled when I was marooned in a doctor's waiting room without a magazine - not even a three-month-old copy of Newsweek. The other patients, who were also trying to be patient, had taken all the reading material except one, dog-eared catalog.
Thinking I had conquered my addiction, I picked it up. Because I didn't feel my heart rate increase, I allowed myself to casually look through it. WRONG!
Although I tried to put the catalog down, it was too late. I'd seen a wall calendar on which a different family picture could be printed for each month.
I couldn't fight temptation. It would be a perfect gift for my mother-in-law and it's very hard to find a perfect gift for a mother-in-law. I told myself I'd send for just this one thing - and I did - from that catalog.
That catalog spawned other catalogs - catalogs for gadgets and clothing and sports equipment and food and more. I ordered a monogrammed bathrobe for my sister, eagle bookends for my uncle and a cat Frisbee for my dog. As long as I could rationalize I was ordering gifts I couldn't get locally, as long as I was buying gifts for other people, I remained in denial.
When I ordered a pen that contained a roll of paper, I knew I'd relapsed. I could hide this fact and the gifts from my family, but the mailman learned my dark secret as the number of catalogs I received increased. I became the Goldilocks of mail order catalogs. Some were too practical, some were too specialized, but some - okay, lots - were just right.
One egg poacher shaped like a hen is enough and two, musical, toilet paper dispensers was probably too many; but what woman could have too much jewelry? Unfortunately, the gold bracelet I ordered looked more like dental floss. If it doesn't say "actual size" on the catalog picture, it isn't.
Because I didn't need a present for my dentist, I sent the bracelet back. I'm not going to mail order again - even if I have to read dozens of catalogs to find a gadget to help me resist.
With the advancement of technology and the Internet, it is no surprise that almost everything is done on the World Wide Web ? from banking, bookings and reservations, communications, media, and shopping ? everything is processed at the click of a mouse button. All you need is a fast computer, a stable Internet connection, a credit or debit card, and you're all set to complete transactions over the net. And now, the latest addition to the services offered through cyberspace ? mail order Internet pharmacies. But just how safe is it to purchase drugs through online drugstores?
Using mail order Internet pharmacies has its positive points. Here are some of the advantages of ordering medicines online:
lConvenience. Compared to the conventional way of buying medications, online drugstores are more convenient to use. You no longer have to leave the house the be able to buy the drugs you need. This proves beneficial to people who need to fill prescription medications, but are unable to physically go to the drugstore to buy their needed medicine.
lCompetitive prices. As compared to the prices of medications sold in land-based pharmacies, online drugstores sell drugs at a relevantly cheaper cost, sometimes with discounts on bulk orders. This offers a cheaper alternative to patients who can't afford to buy the medicine at its original cost.
lOvernight delivery. Most online pharmacies come with a free, overnight delivery system that assures their customers of a speedy delivery straight to their doorsteps. This cuts down traveling costs to go to the drugstore and back.
The Internet pharmacy phenomenon also comes with disadvantages, specifically because all transactions are made in cyberspace. Here are some of the risks you're exposing yourself to when using online pharmacies:
lIdentity theft. Because your personal information passes through the Internet, malicious characters like hackers or fake Internet pharmacies may be able to retrieve your data without approval and assume your identity.
lCredit card fraud. Online purchases require no more than your credit card number and the expiry date of the credit card. Hackers and illegitimate online drugstores can use the financial information you entered when paying for your order to make multiple or large purchases of their own without your permission and authorization.
lCounterfeit products. There is a possibility that a scam Internet pharmacy will send you a ?copy-cat? or a fake product which may not meet your medication needs. You may also receive products that have a higher or lower dose than what you have ordered. There is also a chance of getting expired medicine by ordering from illegal Internet drugstores. You may also get products with hidden ingredients that may trigger an unfavorable drug interaction or a severe allergic reaction.
But you can do something to make this newly emerging industry safer for consumers like yourself. If you've chanced upon a suspicious mail order Internet pharmacy, inform the local authorities. Help them get rid of fake online drugstores to protect you from the risks of purchasing medicines over the Internet by reporting such anomalous organizations.
Both Knight Pierce Hirst & Abbey Grace Yap are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Knight Pierce Hirst has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Humour and Internet Marketing. KNIGHT PIERCE HIRST takes humorous looks at life. at. Knight Pierce Hirst's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
Abbey Grace Yap has sinced written about articles on various topics from Accounting Guide, Advertising Guide and Medicine. The writer, Abbey Grace Yap, is an active advocate for health consciousness and disease awareness. She possesses a deep passion in discovering new health-related information and sharing it to her readers.There are so many sites devoting the attention to. Abbey Grace Yap's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.