--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The government ought to help out, because…" description: "\"The government ought to help out, because the average citizen can't go out and be doing reviews of the scientific literature. And focus on the processe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/steven-c-hayes-19351_behavior_the-government-ought-to-help-out-because_785641.jpg" --- # The government ought to help out, because the average… ![“The government ought to help out, because the average citizen can't go out and be doing reviews of the scientific literature. And focus on the processes that have low side effects and good long-term outcomes. Right now you're going to find those in the psychosocial area, in the therapy area, in…” quote by Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/steven-c-hayes-19351_behavior_the-government-ought-to-help-out-because_785641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/steven-c-hayes-19351_behavior_the-government-ought-to-help-out-because_785641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/steven-c-hayes-19351_behavior_the-government-ought-to-help-out-because_785641.jpg) > “The government ought to help out, because the average citizen can't go out and be doing reviews of the scientific literature. And focus on the processes that have low side effects and good long-term outcomes. Right now you're going to find those in the psychosocial area, in the therapy area, in the empirically supported treatments such as ACT or cognitive behavior therapy, behavior therapy. And go there first rather than going to the pill bottle as if it's going to be the end of your journey. Very often it's only going to help, and even only to a minor degree, and more is going to be needed.” [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Therapies that target thoughts and behaviors often have fewer side effects and better lasting results than medication alone. **In simple terms:** Psychosocial treatments can be safer and more durable than pills. Key Takeaway Prioritize evidence‑based therapy before medication. Themes mental health evidence‑based practice psychotherapy risk management Mood cautious analytical Type clinical educational When to use this quote - clinical decision making - patient counseling - health policy - treatment planning Key Concepts ACT CBT behavioral therapy empirical support Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports choosing therapy first? - When is medication essential? A Different Perspective Medication may still be needed for some conditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Side effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-effects/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) ## Related quotes > [The last five years I've really worked on my mental health and seeing a therapist - which, it's so funny cause I thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/the-last-five-years-i-ve-really-worked-on-my-mental-health-and-seeing/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) > [I don't need therapy. I'm not going to see a therapist; comedy acts as my therapy. I put my problems out there. I talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/i-don-t-need-therapy-i-m-not-going-to-see-a-therapist-comedy-acts-as/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [The prescribers very often overstate, oversell, and the detail people are only too happy to tell them to do that. This idea that there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/the-prescribers-very-often-overstate-oversell-and-the-detail-people/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [Let's take something like antidepressant medications. There's decent science saying it has an effect, but it's shockingly small after you control for penetration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/let-s-take-something-like-antidepressant-medications-there-s-decent/) [Steven C. 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As long as they are expensive enough to last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-guinness/but-things-don-t-necessarily-have-to-be-that-expensive-to-be-good-as/) [Daphne Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-guinness/) > [The pressure to be thin, which causes guilt and obsessiveness around food, is terrible and starts so early. 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It's fun to put my face in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-mean-acting-or-stunts-doing-my-job-means-doing-my-job-and-i-m/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I suppose I have stopped modeling officially. I've not done any for a good long while now. I think it was four years ago…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agyness-deyn/i-suppose-i-have-stopped-modeling-officially-i-ve-not-done-any-for-a/) [Agyness Deyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agyness-deyn/) > [“Good will never be enough as long as great exist. Don't look to do better than anyone else aim to do better than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyconis-d-allison-ty/good-will-never-be-enough-as-long-as-great-exist-don-t-look-to-do/) Tyconis D. Allison Ty > [The difference between the price we pay for a stock and its liquidation value gives us a margin of safety. This kind of investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cundill/the-difference-between-the-price-we-pay-for-a-stock-and-its/) [Peter Cundill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cundill/) > [Most people are good only so long as they believe others to be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-friedrich-hebbel/most-people-are-good-only-so-long-as-they-believe-others-to-be-so/) [Christian Friedrich Hebbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-friedrich-hebbel/) ## More by Steven C. Hayes > [“If you were on a bus trying to go east in a maze of dirt roads in a large valley, you might not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/if-you-were-on-a-bus-trying-to-go-east-in-a-maze-of-dirt-roads-in-a/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [If a therapist is feeling insecure in therapy, a lot of therapists will try to sort of push that aside to try to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/if-a-therapist-is-feeling-insecure-in-therapy-a-lot-of-therapists/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [ACT psychology is a psychology of the normal. A lot of the psychologies that are out there are built on the psychology of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/act-psychology-is-a-psychology-of-the-normal-a-lot-of-the/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [If you aren't willing to have it, you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/if-you-aren-t-willing-to-have-it-you-will/) [Steven C. 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Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [The definition of happiness being very emotion-oriented - the problem is that there's too many quick and dirty ways to chase that in ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/the-definition-of-happiness-being-very-emotion-oriented-the-problem/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [But this cheap-thrill version, this sort of ease definition, the feel-good definition of happiness is an empty promise. Unless we get wiser as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/but-this-cheap-thrill-version-this-sort-of-ease-definition-the-feel/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [Most people are hurt deeply by betrayals in relationships. It might be better to really get up against and sort of contact that caring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/most-people-are-hurt-deeply-by-betrayals-in-relationships-it-might-be/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/get-out-of-your-mind-and-into-your-life/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [Our children are exposed to 10, 20, 30 times the number of words that our great-grandfathers were exposed to. We're exposed in a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/our-children-are-exposed-to-10-20-30-times-the-number-of-words-that/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) [Explore all 33 Steven C. 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We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! 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Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The government ought to help out, because the average citizen can't go out and be doing reviews of the scientific literature. And focus on the processes that have low side effects and good long-term outcomes. Right now you're going to find those in the psychosocial area, in the therapy area, in the empirically supported treatments such as ACT or cognitive behavior therapy, behavior therapy. And go there first rather than going to the pill bottle as if it's going to be the end of your journey. 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