In episode 53: Jay’s Journey, Part I, we discuss prescription mood stabilizers like anti-anxiety medicines. You can’t even turn on the TV without being bombarded with ads for all sorts of medical remedies. To me, the most interesting part of these commercials is when the voice in the background quickly goes over potential side effects, sometimes including fatal conditions. Sure, I would like to make myself look younger, improve my vitality, cure my toenail fungus, but maybe not at the cost of liver damage or internal bleeding! Of course, we should listen to our physician’s advice and consider pros and cons before starting on a new medication, but sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to the potential risks. In some examples, one of the risks may be addiction.
Legitimate Need
Usually, people begin using medication for a legitimate reason. Perhaps, they were injured on the job and are experiencing back pain? Or maybe they have had crippling panic attacks or anxiety. Benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Klonapine) are commonly prescribed medications, often used for the treatment of anxiety. They are generally quite effective at rapidly reducing anxiety symptoms, thus patients often experience significant quick relief.
Known Risks
Whatever the reason for taking a medication, we should also consider the risks involved in taking them. Benzodiazepines, for example, are highly addictive, and people are prone to overusing them. The same can be said for many other prescription medicines like prescription opioids or sedatives. Every drug carries a risk. At times the risk may outweigh the benefits. Most of us don’t know how our bodies will react to strong medicines or psychiatric drugs until after we’ve begun taking them. Just because a medication is prescribed by a physician does not mean that it comes without risk.
In Conclusion…
Medication can be a powerful and important tool in the treatment of mood disorders, but most carry at least some risk. There is a reason why benzodiazepines are “controlled substances”. They are highly addictive although they are effective in reducing anxiety symptoms. Often they are an effective short term fix. The research strongly supports that mood stabilizers, like benzodiazepines, when used alongside talk based therapy psychotherapy yields the best outcome for patients. The prescription medicines can help mask or reduce symptoms while the talk based therapy can begin to treat the root cause.