Anxiety is a universal emotional response, which has kept humans alive for millennia. We all fear things that appear unsafe or threatening. In my lifetime, there has been a refined understanding of how this emotional response can affect some people adversely. Science has provided new medicines to help us cope when other strategies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy don’t provide enough relief.
Doctors can offer many different medication options. It’s important to try one out for a period of several weeks to see if it’s right for you. Keep a journal of how it affects your mood, focus, energy, appetite, sex drive, and sleep so you can remember how you were feeling to share with your doctor.
Personally, I began to suffer from anxiety around age forty, when I suddenly experienced agoraphobia and didn’t want to leave my house. With counseling, I was able to trace this back to a traumatic event that occurred in my twenties. Then I used the gradual exposure method of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to gradually face my fears.
I have tried several mediations over the past twenty years and was able to work full-time, raise my kids, and remain productive. Recently I have found a better medication for myself that doesn’t give me any unwanted side-effects. Sometimes you need to change it up when a certain med loses it efficacy for you after many years. I also tried weaning myself off my meds altogether, but I found that I still struggled with feeling impatient and edgy all the time, so I am staying the course. It’s always a personal decision.
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