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Anxiety Medication - do you really need it
If you're new here, check out our popular post about conquering anxiety and panic attacks. Thanks for visiting!
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is about the various forms of anxiety medication, and whether it’s a good idea to take it or not. So I thought it would be a good idea to write about my experience with the anxiety treatments I’ve personally used in the past, in the hope that you can get a better understanding of what’s available and what options you may have.
My Experience With Anxiety
First, here’s a very brief history of my experience with anxiety and panic attacks, to give you an idea of where I’m coming from.
Back in late 2003 my health business went through a bleak patch which meant my income virtually dried up overnight, and I had no idea why or what to do about it. With 2 young children (1 and 3 at the time), a large mortgage and lots of bills to pay, I was very worried about how we were going to survive.
That’s when the panic attacks started. They evolved into pretty much a continuous state of anxiety and bouts of depression. Not a very nice position to be in when you have a floundering business to rebuild and 2 young and very dependent kids to look after.
A friend of mine recommended a visit to my doctor, who suggested a course of valium for the depression and to lift the anxiety. So for a while I felt great, but also a little “carefree”, which didn’t help me concentrate on rebuilding the business.
Where Did My Life Go?
Looking back, there’s a part of my life, while I was taking these prescription anxiety drugs that I literally can’t remember - which can’t be a good thing, can it?
I also realised that my “carefree” attitude wasn’t really helping me focus on getting my life back on track - I was ignoring all the important things in life (and my business) simply because I felt like nothing was a problem, and everything was going to be fine. Which of course it wasn’t unless I started to concentrate on what needed to be done.
So I decided to stop taking the drugs, and look for something that didn’t simply take away all my emotions - including the good ones.
After some searching (and researching) I found something called Amoryn - which is a natural herb based supplement, that didn’t come with a long side effects. I took this for a total of 9 months - during which time it really helped lift my moods and prevent the depressive emotions and frequent panic attacks I was experiencing.
It didn’t wipe them out completely, but certainly made my life a lot easier (and happier) during a very difficult time for me. I was still in control of my life (and my emotions), and felt much more able to live my life the way I wanted to - rather than the “spaced out” feelings I had with the medications.
Dealing with social anxiety disorders and the varied symptoms can be extremely difficult and at times seem like it's impossible. And the ever increasing range of anxiety medications isn't really helping us to solve the problem - they're simply masking the symptoms. I hope to offer help and support on my blog, by sharing my experiences in suffering from and dealing with panic and anxiety attack symptoms.







