I get across this problem almost every day: it is extremely frustrating and I am trying to be very careful with how I speak about it. It is about medications; namely antidepressants, anti-anxiety, etc. In my office I often meet people who are on multiple meds and struggle with multiple problems. They come, because despite all the medical help, they still feel miserable and see no improvement in their mood and everyday functioning.
I am absolutely NOT against medications. They have their place and their function. The problem is in the details.
Let’s say somebody decides to go on anti-anxiety or antidepressant because… they experience anxiety or depression that keep them from living their normal life. That’s understandable and makes sense. Unfortunately the side effects of those meds might be: headaches, insomnia, nightmares. So, they go back to the doctor and tell them what happens.
The doctors want to help their patients; and they want to help fast. So what do they do? They add another medication that helps with headaches, insomnia, and nightmares. The side effect of the second medication might be: hallucination, lightheadedness, restlessness, change in sexual desire. Patients don’t like it, they go to the doctor and get another drug to mitigate the effects of the previous… and it goes on. You get the picture.
They may switch to another antidepressant or a different anti-anxiety drug, they may lose some side effects and acquire a new set; they get so caught up with managing them that at some point they don’t even know why it was that they started taking anything in the first place. They forget how they felt without the drugs, because they are trying to deal with what is going on right now. They find themselves taking multiple drugs every day and feeling the same, or even worse.
What is going on???
In our times we are used to “getting things fixed” real fast. The faster the better. We don’t like waiting for results; we want them now, immediately. You have a problem; get a pill, feel better, forget the problem, and move on.
Unfortunately, mental/emotional issues are not easy and fast “to fix”. They take the time, patience, and understanding. They may require lots of different approaches, mistakes, and solutions. Quite often, they never “get fixed”. They may become easier to manage, to understand and accept; easier to navigate with them through life. And, often, this is what we don’t like to hear.
One of the questions my clients ask me is usually: how long will it take? The answer is: “I don’t know”. There is no specific prescription for psychotherapy, no assigned amount of time to find the resolution to your problems. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes weeks, sometimes years. Sometimes you have to pair the therapy with medications, sometimes you have to come off the medication to be able to work. It’s all very individual and unspecific. It also requires some work on your side: much more, in fact, than popping a pill once a day.
But, there are no dramatic side effects. There is some cost and time commitment; you may need to look into yourself and take responsibility for your decisions, your actions, your feelings: that could be hard. Especially, if you are used to “quick fix”. The good news is, though, the results are long lasting. They won’t disappear as soon as you “come off the therapy”. Just the opposite; they may keep on giving long into the future.
It all depends on you and your commitment to change. You can also be sure that you won’t have the “withdrawal symptoms” after you stop. No medical supervision required, no titration. One day you just feel ready to continue on your own and you do it. You may need a “tune-up” from time to time, you might need to come back more than once, but it gets easier and easier every time.
And there is more: the satisfaction, pride, and sense of achievement coming from doing things on your own, from growing into yourself, learning who you are and what you stand for. You cannot get those in a pill…
By Eva Sadowski Photo by Pexels
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