Let’s face it. I don’t think there are too many of us that like using medications to control our symptoms of panic and anxiety. They work quite effectively, but they also take the edge off our lives. If you’re like me they make you sleepy and less energetic. Some can even lead to weight gain! I put on 4 kilograms in 2 months and felt rather unhealthy indeed. It would make me crave food all the time and I’d answer this craving by stuffing myself on all the wrong foods. And again, this is not good for anxiety as you need to eat healthy in order to combat anxiety.

So the question remains, should I take medications for my anxiety condition? Or should I just do my best to put up with the symptoms. Some natural therapies offer relief such as meditation and such. Who tells you this? People who have probably never suffered from severe anxiety themselves. How hard is it to relax when you’re already on edge? As you’d know, with anxiety, your body is primed for “fight or flight”! Not relax and be calm!

What I do regarding medications and natural techniques is the following. I only take enough medication to take the edge off the heightened state of anxiety or the panic attack. If you take a strong enough dose to stop it all together, it’s very counter-productive. To get better from anxiety, you have to face it. Anxiety is a fear response. And we all know the best way to get over a fear is to face it! You might know what the fear is that’s causing you the anxiety, but if you’re like me, you have no idea. None the less, your subconscious fears something that it is not bringing up into your conscious mind. If you totally remove the fear by taking medication, you will never face the fear and thus never get over what it is you are fearing and you will always be on the medication.

So what I suggest is this and it’s what I now do. Only take enough medication so it reduces the anxiety down to a bearable level, and then face whatever it is you fear. Gradually work your way up over time to use less and less medication and you should find that in time you will no longer rely on medication to get over that fear. Then when my fear is under control and I feel strong enough to face it, I either take it on if it’s practical, or I can work on natural techniques such as relaxation and meditation.