Too young for drugs? Everyone else seems to think so...

[strawberrybrunette]

Hi there. I'm Emily. I'm fifteen. I'm just about to sit a heap of exams. And i'm also socially anxious.

Due the increasing pressure the school/my parents are putting me under because of the exams, my anxiety has got quite a lot worse. When i was first diagnosed (about three years ago) i was adament that i wouldn't take drugs to help keep my anxiety under control. But now i'm starting to think they might be the only thing that can help. I've had councilling and cognitive behavioral therapy, both which worked to a cetain extent, but i guess i'm not satisfied - still holding out for that "miracle cure" which will give me my life and confidence back.

However (and it's a big however) my parents, friends, and personal tutor at school all think it's a really bad idea. My parents are refusing to take me to the doctor. My mother especially is against it: she seems to think it would be better to fail my exams than to be put on medication!

I feel in a real dilemma here - i want to do well in school, but my anxiety is getting in the way. There is a way i could help control the anxiety, but my nearest and dearest won't agree to it!

Are there any young people on this forum who take medication for their anxiety? Or could you suggest any, say, hollistic therapies that have worked for you? I'm open to suggestions!

Thanks,
Emily

 

[phoenix1]

Hi Emily,

In my opinion, medication should be an absolute last resort, especially for young people. These pharmaceutical drugs dont just 'fix you' - they numb you, they fog you, stop alot of joy and they alter the way you normally would think or feel. For a mind that's still developing and going through changes, it could have a very negative impact in the long run. I would atleast wait a few more years and see what happens. At 15, everything is stressful, you feel every emotion a million times stronger, but that's also part of coming to grips with the world. Altering the way your brain naturally adapts, could have some scary results.

I would know, because my wife was prescibed these medications at a very young age. I've watched her cry many times and scream at the doctors that gave her these drugs that changed her life forever. She tells me all the time that she would do anything in this world to be able to go back and have never taken them.

I see that you are interested in perhaps a hollistic approach? There are many natural substances that do a lot of help relax and take some of the edge off - and they don't alter your brain in any way. I would spend some time looking into them. They are alot more effective than you might think.

 

[SilentType]

Yeah I'd say try kava kava if u want a holistic remedy. Google it and do some research and find the best stuff out there and cook it in some tea or whatever you want but it will help you get through your exams I promise.

Peace

 

[sabbath92001]

I've had counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy, both which worked to a certain extent, but I guess I'm not satisfied - still holding out for that "miracle cure" which will give me my life and confidence back.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) won't "cure" you, but it will help with anxiety, stress, exams, etc. CBT and medications didn't help me much. There's a new ACT self-help workbook coming out next month called The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety by John P. Forsyth and Georg H. Eifert.

Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Anxiety happens. It's not a choice. And attempts to "manage" your thoughts or "get rid" of worry, fear, and panic can leave you feeling frustrated and powerless. But you can take back your life from anxiety without controlling anxious thoughts and feelings. You can stop avoiding anxiety and start showing up to your life. This book will get you started, using a revolutionary new approach called acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT.

The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety has one purpose: to help you live better, more fully, more richly. Your life is calling on you to make that choice, and the skills in this workbook can help you make it happen. Find out how your mind can trap you, keeping you stuck and struggling in anxiety and fear. Learn to nurture your capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion. Use these qualities to shift your focus away from anxiety and onto what you really want your life to be about. As you do, your life will get bigger as your anxious suffering gets smaller. No matter what kind of anxiety problem you're struggling with, this workbook can guide you toward a more vibrant and purposeful life.

"...Highly recommended for all those struggling with worry, anxiety, and fear." - David H. Barlow, Ph.D., professor of psychology and psychiatry at Boston University and author of Anxiety and Its Disorders.

"...a "must-read" for anyone encountering anxiety as a barrier to a leading a fuller life." - Zindel Segal, Ph.D., Morgan Firestone Chair in Psychotherpy at the University of Toronto and author of The Mindful Way Through Depression.

This workbook comes with a CD that includes a full-length audio guided meditation and electronic copies of the worksheets that appear inside the book.

From the Publisher
Building on the success of their book for professionals, leaders in the field of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) John Forsyth and Georg Eifert present this exciting and innovative ACT workbook to general readers. It is the first self-help workbook to adapt the revolutionary techniques of ACT into a powerful program readers can use to overcome any of the anxiety disorders.

 

[Infected_Malignity]

Yeah I'd say try kava kava if u want a holistic remedy. Google it and do some research and find the best stuff out there and cook it in some tea or whatever you want but it will help you get through your exams I promise.

Peace

yeeeah. Kava Kava extract is the shit. Stuff makes you mellow out without trippin' balls.

 

[Emma]

I was on 200mg of zoloft when I was 12...seems dodgy now....is that illegal anyway?? :? 8O