This is a damn good question. I got an email from a reader the other day asking whether or not it was a good idea to ditch their SSRI (antidepressant) in favor of going all natural. This is an issue that a lot of people have pondered given the many concerns surrounding the use of psychiatric medications. I've known quite a few people that worried about addiction or the long-term effects of SSRIs before starting up, which isn't unreasonable given the side-effects and addictive qualities of certain medications. However, SSRIs are
Why I Never Took Psych Meds
The reason I never took medication is dead simple. I was scared. I used to think that using psych meds meant risking my sanity, so why push my luck? Sounds dumb now but that's what my mind screamed at the height of my nervous sickness. There was also the issue of control. Actually, I still have control issues. I like to be in control - always have. When I'm in a car, I drive. When I'm on an airplane, I wish like hell that I could drive. So back in the day the more I felt anxiety the more I craved control of my environment and
“Overcoming Anxiety Is Feasible For Most Patients”
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent, chronic, debilitating mental illness associated with marked impairment in daily functioning.1 An ongoing evolution of the definition of GAD has resulted in a bifurcation of the historical anxiety neurosis designation.2 A diagnosis of GAD currently implies chronic, excessive worry lasting at least 6 months and 3 of the possible 6 somatic or psychological symptoms (restlessness, fatigue, muscle tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbance).3 GAD typically presents in an