Should You Take Medication For Anxiety?

Something I get asked all the time is whether or not I take medication to help manage my anxiety. The answer to that is no, I don’t, but it’s probably not for the reasons you think. If it weren’t for other mitigating factors, I would absolutely take medication. I actually tried to for an extended period of time but could never quite make it work for me. I’ve now found ways to manage my anxiety without meds, so I don’t use them. Should you take medication for anxiety? Maybe so. But here’s some reasons why I personally choose not to use medication management as an anxiety decreasing strategy.

Three reasons I don’t.

It doesn’t work for me.

It all started after my first panic attack, which you can read about here. Before then, I didn’t even know what anxiety and panic attacks existed. However, after a quick, humiliating trip to the emergency room, I was given a four-week prescription for Xanax.

The doctor told me to pop one whenever I felt I was on the verge of panic, so I did. Every 4-6 hours I would take another, trying to obtain any sort of relief. But it never came. In fact, every time I took a pill, I just felt worse!

Although Xanax is a sedative, it just hyped me up even more. I was in a constant state of panic, so much so that the Xanax couldn’t reach through my constant flow of adrenaline to put me to sleep. It caused me to feel disoriented, which in turn, made me more anxious!

After my Xanax experience I sought help from a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at one of our local mental health agencies. She was a wonderful lady who taught me loads about my brain and about how having anxiety wasn’t my fault. I am forever grateful for her wisdom.

She and I spent the good part of a year trying different medications to help with my anxiety. Sadly, none of them worked. I always ended up feeling more anxious or becoming incredibly depressed. Finally, with my Nurse Practitioner’s blessing, I decided that I’d just have to do it without medication. I may have tried for longer, but I had other reasons I wanted to do without as well.

PCOS, weight gain and a past eating disorder.

I have something called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It’s a reproductive disorder that causes an imbalance of hormones and problems in the ovaries. There’s a lot more to it but basically one of the main symptoms is weight gain and difficulty losing weight.

Most medicines that help to decrease anxiety can also cause weight gain. I already spend every single day working to manage my weight because of my PCOS. So, it didn’t make much sense to take something that makes it even more difficult.

Additionally, I have a history of an eating disorder. It’s not healthy for me to put that much focus on weight management. Basically, it’s super easy to slip back into an eating disorder if you’ve had one previously.

Just the thought of taking pill that could cause weight gain increased my anxiety exponentially. And that kind of defeats the purpose of an anxiety pill. Finally, eating disorder behaviors often go hand and hand with addiction behaviors. This leads me to my last point.

Potential for addiction.

Some medicines, like Xanax, have addictive qualities. Medicine, when used appropriately, will not present a problem for most people. But for me, knowing that I’ve had a previous eating disorder and knowing that these behaviors are similar to addiction, I tend to be more conservative with medicines. I’ve never had a problem with substances, but I realize the potential is there and I’d just rather not mess with that possibility.

So, these are a few of the reasons why I choose not to use anxiety medication. Since making that decision I’ve spent years working on a natural anxiety regimen that works for me. I probably could spend all day making a list of things that I do to manage my anxiety. The biggest thing for me is seeing my therapist as needed, getting adequate sleep, exercising regularly and seeking support from my family. But what about you? How do you know what’s right for you?

Should you take medication for your anxiety?

If, in reading this article you somehow gained the impression that I’m against psychiatric medicines, please know that this could not be further from the truth. In fact, I would absolutely advocate for them in most circumstances in which an anxiety disorder is diagnosed.

If your anxiety has become completely unmanageable there is no shame in seeking help. I’ll repeat that. No shame in seeking help. You may be reading this wondering where you can go for help.

My advice would be to see a therapist as well as a psychiatric medication provider. There are numerous studies that conclude that the most effective way to treat anxiety is in seeing both a therapist and a medication provider together. Not one or the other.

I would also suggest that you see a medication provider who is trained specifically in psychotropic medications. Not a family doctor or doctor of some other kind. It has been my experience, personally and professionally, that psychiatric-specific medication providers provide the most effective care.

My last piece of advice would be to always remember that you are in charge of your health care. Make sure you know about all the potential side-effects of a medication before taking it. Ask your doctor to explain to you what you’re taking and how it works. The more you know about your health, the more you can take control of it.

Final Thoughts

 I think we are living in a world where people are becoming increasingly afraid to take medications that can help them. Modern medicine can be a wonderful thing and provide immense relief to those with mental health disorders. If medicine can help you then there’s no reason not to take it!

When you are looking at potential side effects remember, they are potential side effects, not guaranteed side effects. And if you do get some of the less severe ones but your anxiety is better, you need to look yourself in the mirror and ask, “What is worse, my anxiety or this side effect?” And act accordingly. But do so with your doctor, not on your own.

I think the most important thing to remember though is this. Just because you need medicine today, doesn’t mean you are going to need it tomorrow. News flash, people get better from their anxiety! If you’re working with your mental health treatment team and doing what they say, chances are you are going to get better.

Just a year ago I had a really bad stint with my anxiety. I had to see my therapist twice a week and spent most of every day trying not to have panic attacks. It was horrible. But now, I only see my therapist every six weeks and only have panic attacks about once a month, and I expect to continue getting better.

So, don’t lose hope. There is life before, during and after anxiety. You can get better! Don’t let your anxiety define you. Anxiety is not who you are, it’s just a part of your life. And for Heaven’s sakes take medicine if it helps you.