This article represents the writer’s own reflections on medication. Please consult your doctor or mental health professional if you are considering starting or stopping medication. This article is not intended to be medical advice as there is no one size fits all when it comes to medication.
When it comes to treating mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, there are many al-ternatives and things you can turn to. Many feel alone when they find themselves trapped with the illness, but many anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems occurring in the world. Of course, different things work for different people such as counselling, hypnosis, exercis-ing (yoga), music, etc. But of course, sometimes depending on how bad one’s anxiety is, it feels like you’re losing control. So maybe medication is an option one can turn to. I was at this point, but I was very hesitant, because of all the information I was reading online. Anti-depressants are a con-troversial topic, to say the least. Both individuals and the media have portrayed the prescription drugs as negative.
Negative Myths About Anti-Depressants
The bad reputation that has been placed on these medications is that they are dangerous, not good for you, addictive, that they will change your personality or prevent you from feeling “normal” and that they will have horrible side effects. Well, let me tell you that most of these are myths and some are fabricated. Of course, inputting a new drug into your body can be overwhelmingly scary. I was really worried about the side effects that I was reading online and I can honestly say that my side effects were minimal. Dry mouth, changes in weight, nausea, etc., all of these were inexistent. I’m not saying that you won’t experience these side effects, contingent on how your body reacts to the drug, but more than likely you won’t experience all these side effects. It also depends on the dosage you are taking.
The people that are against these types of drugs are people who are against taking medications and possibly people who are into natural herbs. What people don’t realise about naturopath is that alt-hough it has come a long way, it’s not guaranteed to work. It is merely an alternative. Some people wouldn’t be able to survive without medications so the hatred that is being put on anti-anxiety meds must be eliminated.
The Truth About Anti-Depressants
When you’re depressed or anxious it feels like an evil force is being brought upon you and you feel like you will never get better. Negativity just consumes your life, it swarms you, and it is unhealthy for not only your body but also your mind. Your mind is a very powerful source and inevitably your mind affects your body. If your mind isn’t in the right place, then neither is your body. People who suffer from mental health disorders usually tend to lack serotonin. Serotonin contributes to wellbeing and happiness. When you get anxiety and it continues to linger on, hope becomes para-lysing. At my worst, I felt like my serotonin levels were so low. I would think; how am I ever go-ing to think positive again?
Therefore, medication can be such an essential piece of the puzzle for some people. It is also im-portant to find the right medication for you. One medication may work for one person but not an-other. It may take some time to find the right drug. Taking antidepressants isn’t like taking a happy pill. You’re not going to suddenly feel happy. When I started taking them, I thought it was going to make me happy again. I thought it was going to solve all my issues. Unfortunately, that’s not how it worked. It’s not an easy way out. This is also another myth. It is not a cure, but it helps you get through the days. It also takes time to work. It’s estimated that it could take up to 6 weeks for the medication to start to take effect. For me, they helped with sleep. I couldn’t go another day without not sleeping or barely sleeping. It will definitely help with your mood and with such things like chest pains and panic attacks.
Unfortunately, your troubles still exist. You don’t just suddenly wake up feeling better. You still have to work on your self-talk, rewiring your thoughts and your stance on life. Medication helps takes the edge off so that it is viable to examine other resources of healing. It is encouraged that while on medication that you shouldn’t just rely on medication. You should go to counselling, go for a massage, turn to outlets of exercise like yoga, meditating, walking, running, etc. Whatever works best for you to help keep you relaxed.
All in all, it’s good to know that solutions are out there and that you can turn to them if you feel lost. No one should ever have to turn to self-harm or suicide. Many have turned to these horrible roots as many are embarrassed, remain in silence, and a lot of the time anxiety is overlooked. But no one should ever have to feel like they don’t deserve happiness. You can become happy again and turn your life around. Life can be a struggle, but it doesn’t always have to be. The stigma asso-ciated with mental illness can be broken as well as the ongoing controversial status with anti-depressants.
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