| There
has been recent debate in the medical community
about defining and prescribing medication for such
“disorders” as social anxiety disorder,
generalized anxiety disorder, and post traumatic
stress disorder. American society is plagued by
self-induced stress. Should this be something we
pop pills for? Retrospectively, society accepts
the unhealthiness of prior forms of medicated stress
relief. It is generally accepted that smoking, for
example, causes more problems than it relieves.
Why does America swallow anti-anxiety medication
so freely, without worrying about harmful side effects?
These are powerful drugs that target chemicals in
the brain. Medication should be the last resort
in any anti-anxiety therapy. First, people who suffer
anxiety should be proactive and try to resolve their
concerns.
One example of a disorder that is suddenly widely
prescribed is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
PTSD was first recognized as a serious problem among
veterans returning from war. These men suffered
cold sweats, panic attacks, nightmares, and compulsive
behavior as a result of near death experiences and
the mental anguish of war. Some doctors are now
claiming that this same level of shock is regularly
induced in car accidents, they cite numbers as high
as 9% of car accident victims suffer “significant
post-traumatic stress symptoms”.
A few years ago, I was in a rather serious car
accident, and I experienced symptoms like these
medical journals described. I would often upset
myself by dwelling on the accident. I displayed
obsessive behavior in that I avoided left turns
wherever possible, even on deserted streets. I could
not manage this out on country roads, but in the
city grid I was careful to take three right turns
instead of making just one left. Riding in a car
that slams on its breaks still causes me to spin
around and look behind for the car that always seems
to be on the verge of collision. Was this Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder? As annoying as these symptoms were,
I find it would take a rather presumptuous hypochondriac
to insist that these small neuroses could rival
the intense stress of a veteran returning from the
horrors of war. Perhaps I was stressed and absorbed
by my experience, but I certainly never needed medication.
What I did need to do was to be proactive. I worked
with the insurance companies to work out the claims.
I spoke with my lawyer and found someone who wanted
to buy and rebuild my totaled car so I did not have
to consign it to a junkyard. I took responsibility
for the situation and did not let it take control
of me. It did hurt to think about my car for months,
but I don’t obsess about it anymore. If you
feel overwhelmed by a car accident experience and
all of your real medical needs are met, you do not
need a doctor. Talk to a lawyer about your situation
and be proactive about filing papers and taking
action. I felt overwhelmed after my car accident,
but talking to an experienced car accident attorney
helped me to answer my questions, address my doubts,
and quell my anxiety. No pills required.
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