The issue of whether or not anxiety and depression sufferers should take medication is a hot button issue that I love to press. As many of you know I don’t take meds and I never have. I will say that drugs like Paxil and Zoloft do help some people and I won’t and have not denied this. However, I would like to point out that those of us who use these drugs and others like them should be more aware of their benefits and drawbacks than we currently are. It just doesn’t make sense not to be as informed as humanly possible when it comes to this important topic.
Recently I came across an excellent expose by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation or CBC about drugs used to treat anxiety disorders, depression and other mental ailments. I found this particular series broken up into 5 short youtube videos. In addition I’ve added a video of an ex-pharmaceutical sales person that experienced her own personal hell with antidepressants.
This post and others like it that I’ve written are meant to high light the potential risks of these drugs and really nothing else. In other words, I take no moral high ground and I’m not saying not to take medication if you and your doctor have agreed that it’s the best course of action for you.
My only goal is to have my readers be as informed as they can be. In my experience many of these drugs are prescribed much too easily and therefore may not benefit all and might even cause harm to some. This is a reality that we should all face and not shrink from. I understand that not all people will be helped by breathing exercises and fish oil pills, but that doesn’t mean that we all shouldn’t be prudent about treating our anxiety disorder and or depression.
Paxil and other drugs like it can be extremely dangerous and just because it helps some people we should never forget that they also have the capacity to inflict a great deal of harm. It’s not just the slim chance of suicide either, but also less diabolical effects like life long drug dependency that are of concern as well.
In the end do what you have to do under proper medical supervision to help yourself live a better life. All I want to convey is that caution and information should be our guides when it comes to these drugs. Sometimes what we need is more love, freedom, phyiscal activity, better diets, more friends, less stress and so on. Other times maybe a drug is appropriate but only if you are fully aware of both the up and down sides.
You probably already noticed that I have repeated the idea that it’s alright to take meds if you need it. That’s because I always (never fails) get contacted by an angry person that has been helped by Paxil or some other drug. I’d like to avoid that so I pounded this point to make it oh so very clear.
Personally I don’t take any drugs for anxiety or depression because I have misgivings about the down sides to these drugs, especially the dependence part. I don’t like to suffer either, but I feel that I function rather well without them. I have my trials and dark days like all of you do but I keep moving forward with natural coping tools and have a normal life 80% of the time. I just feel strongly about helping people understand the truth about anxiety disorders and living an anxious life. Just remember to never stop learning because ultimately this is how you will finally learn the proper way to help yourself.
It’s so true that people aren’t really aware of the side effects of these drugs and this partly the fault of the doctors who prescribe them. I can’t speak for the US, but certainly in the UK they are handed out like sweets. Mainly this is cost as talking therapies are so expensive.
Just before Christmas, when iw as in a bit of a state, I went to my doctor and he asked me why I wasn’t on anything. He convinced me to try citrolrpam (i think that’s how you spell it.). I asked him outright if there were any side effects and he said no. I also asked him if there was any chance of dependency and again he said no. Well, I went home, took one and did a bit of research. There were forums packed with people who had suffered problems with this drug, many stating how hard it was to get off of.
Yes, it’s so important to be savvy & educated about medications! Good post.
I am very happy you are pushing this topic out there so much Paul. So many people are simply too willing to take a pill for their anxiety/depression these days, and unfortunately so many doctors are so quick to offer them. This flippant decision can often occur so quickly that people aren’t even diving into other options first, and instead begin with the meds immediately. Only to later find out how hard it is to get off them. Once your brain has learned to live with a drug, it’s not going to be so easy to get your brain to function normally without that drug. I think people AND doctors should look at medications as the last resort. Try all other options first, and if nothing works, then try meds. That is my 2 cents.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. In my view it is critical to have patients and doctors take a closer look at this issue. Again, it’s not to say that meds are bad, I just think people should use them with their eyes wide open.
Have you heard of a book called “Our Daily Meds”? I haven’t read all of it, but it’s basically an expose of the pharmaceutical industry and all of the lobbying/promotion that’s involved.
Hey Terry, I have not heard of this book but it sounds interesting. Maybe I’ll pick up a copy from the library and give it a look.
I totally agree with you Paul. I have lived both realities and stopped meds 2 years ago. Glad I did.
I have suffered terrible anxiety since I was a child and am now 31. I have tried exercise, meditation and many other natural forms in an effort to rid myself of thus terible feeling.the only real break I have gad from anxiety was through using Xanax.
I apologised for the spelling above. Typing on this iPhone is hard. The site is wonderful and hopefully i can learn from others here as anxiety really is one thing that greatly detracts from my quality of life.
with a history of abuse, some self-inflicted bad decisions. PTSD from it all, single mom
with a visually impaired child and not much family or friend support….
I went back to school, started working a great job, but with a co-worker who was lead to believe that I was her boss, so she was mean and jealous. After 1 year of struggle, I felt attack most every day. I was about to walk away from everything but knew that I had to
take care of my child, so I went to my doctor and he put me on Paxil. Life got really better.
My co-worker and I became a team. A few years later, I couldn’t stay awake in the afternoon. My doctor thought that maybe it was a sleep disorder. I changed to Welbutin
and wow, did I have energy. I did not realize that it had been 7 years on medication.
I thought I was doing well with my anxiety and panic. I slowly stopped taking the meds to try life on my own. For a short time I was ok than started having a lot of anxiety and panic. I had to take xanax which permitted me to function for a while. Then I hit the lowest I had ever been. Didn’t want to go anywhere, lucky, I was on vacation at the time.
I had trouble making decisions, where to drive, huge racing thought, obsession about feeling like mentally sick, fearful like, stayed in bed more. Resting. Before work started again I knew I would have to go back on medication. So now I take 25 mg or Zoloft. At first I felt really weird, like the medication had both a stimulant and a calming ingredient in it. I stay busy with my 2 kids. My daughter and her husband and I live together. I need them and they me. I get more sleep, joined the gym and go about 3 time a week for 2-3 hours, paint and work on becoming more at peace with myself.
Will I ever attempt to not take medicine. I don’t know, that bothers me, and I try not to think about it. I would have to get therapy. And would probably have to quit working, but can’t do that. My pharmicist told me that the dose is low and not to feel so bad about taking something. I take blood pressure meds most of my life.
Judi
Ps. I’m 58