If you find yourself constantly worrying unnecessarily and feeling nervous all the time, you are probably experiencing anxiety. The severity of anxiety can vary greatly. On one hand, there are the people who are anxious when they have a lot of stress in their lives or have something coming up to be nervous about. On the other hand, there are those who are constantly anxious even though life is running smoothly. For people in the second group, anxiety can begin to rule their lives. Being constantly anxious can hurt relationships, cause insomnia and make work, school and daily life more difficult.
When anxiety begins to hurt a person's quality of life, many people turn to anxiety medication. The important thing to remember is that anxiety medication is meant to be a temporary fix, not something to take for long periods of time.
There are three main reasons for this.
- The most harmless is that sometimes the body will develop a tolerance to the drug, so it will simply stop working if taken for too long.
- Another reason is that these medications metabolize slowly, so over time the drug will build up in your system. This will cause the person to be in a haze, and if it's bad they will appear drunk.
- Another reason these drugs are temporary is that they carry a risk of dependence. Not only do they have a risk of physical dependence, but mental dependence also.
If a person is on anxiety medication for too long, they can begin to think that it is the only thing keeping them going. They fear that if they stop taking it, they won't be able to deal with the worries of life on their own.
It is important that when you stop taking the medication, you do it slowly by gradually reducing your dose. Along with the risk of dependency, anxiety medication carries a high risk of withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly. The only time it should be stopped suddenly is if it caused a very serious and dangerous reaction. Some withdrawal symptoms are sudden intense anxiety, depression, insomnia, confusion, pounding heart, sweating and shaking.
These possible side effects may turn you off of the idea of taking anxiety medication. While only temporary, they can be a good tool for getting through rough patches in life. In the long run, however, it is better to relieve your anxiety through natural methods such as therapy or self-help techniques. Ridding yourself of anxiety will allow you to sleep better, be healthier and be a generally happier person.
By Sherry L Harris
