What About Drugs for Anxiety and Depression?

As a counselor, I am often asked, “Can drugs help with anxiety and depression?” My answer is “Yes” and “No.” Yes, drugs may be helpful in getting temporary help. No, drugs are not a good long-term solution. Anxiety and depression are not the result of drug shortages. Drugs do not eliminate the causes of anxiety and depression. However, when drugs are temporarily used to give a person a window of relief to perform the inner work needed to heal the underlying causes, they may be helpful. Anxiety and depression often have two main causes — emotional and physical. PHYSICAL CAUSES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION Our bodies become unbalanced when we do not eat well or get enough healthy exercise. Our bodies are not designed to handle the unnatural elements found in processed foods. When we replenish our bodies with chemicals, pesticides, sugar and unhealthy foods, our bodies lose essential nutrients and become stressed. Anxiety and stress can be the result of these weight loss and the resulting stress. Our bodies are designed to live on the food and water God has given us - clean, pure, living, unadulterated and water. If you are taking drugs for anxiety and depression and do not cleanse your diet and exercise properly, you are only using Band-Aid an open wound. EMOTIONAL CAUSES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION Emotionally, anxiety is caused by negative thoughts - thoughts that are not true. For example, if you tell yourself that you are not good enough or that you are perfect, you will probably feel anxious. Thoughts of inadequacy and the need for perfection usually focus on our outward appearance and function, rather than our inner qualities of kindness, compassion, and gratitude. When we choose to be kind, loving, and compassionate to ourselves and to others, we feel better about ourselves. When we choose to be thankful for what we have rather than focus on what we do not have, we build inner peace. Kindness and thankfulness are a wonderful remedy for anxiety! Constant worry is a sign that we are lying. Truth creates inner peace, whereas falsehood breeds fear and anxiety. This is a sure way to know what is true and what is not true! Emotionally, depression is a result of poor self-care. If we ignore our needs, speak up, judge ourselves, and make others responsible for our feelings, the result can be stress. If you have a child who you ignore and judge, that child will likely be depressed. The same thing happens on the inside when we ignore and judge our inner child. Being self-centered and caring for everyone but yourself can cause you to feel unworthy and stressed. There is little point in taking drugs for anxiety and depression without paying attention to your dysfunctional thoughts and behavior. However, if you take a drug for a short period of time and give yourself an opportunity to do your own homework, they may be helpful. Many of my colleagues find that once they start taking care of themselves, they do not like the effects of drugs. They do not like the fact that drugs take away their emotions. They find that, instead of wanting to faint, they want to feel all their deepest emotions, both high and low. The more they learn to control their emotions by paying attention to their thoughts and needs, the more they want to hear all their feelings. They find that while drugs may be a pain reliever, they are also a source of happiness. Most of my colleagues can avoid drugs altogether by learning to care for themselves lovingly, physically, and emotionally. Many people who practice the Inner Bonding process we teach find Inner Bonding more effective in treating anxiety and depression than drugs. If you are a person who does not want to learn to take responsibility for your own pain and happiness, then drugs can be a way out for you. But if you want to experience true peace and happiness, drugs are not the answer.