Should I Take Medication for Anxiety?
Deciding whether or not to take medication is a choice that a lot of people struggle with. When it comes to certain issues such as bipolar disorder or major depression, the choice is often easier to make because the consequences of insufficient treatment are severe. When it comes to anxiety, however, the answer is not so cut-and-dry.As a marriage and family therapist, I do not have the ability to prescribe medication. However, I am quite familiar with most medications and regularly refer people to psychiatrists. When it comes to taking medication, the choice is ultimately yours to make, but there are some instances where I feel the need to get a bit pushy.
Safety
If your safety is at risk, I will almost always suggest consulting with a psychiatrist. Regardless of how you feel about medication in general, if the alternative is self-harm or suicide, I think you should seriously consider medication. The choice is always up to you at the end of the day, but I firmly believe that nothing is worth putting your life at risk.While even extreme anxiety can be improved without medication, it is too much of a risk to wait and see if a certain therapeutic intervention will work when someone is actively self-harming or suicidal. Additionally, medication is not going to rob you of the opportunity to practice new techniques or learn new tools to cope with anxiety. You'll most likely still have some anxiety to work with even after you're medicated. Medications help, but they don't usually work miracles.
Stuckness
If you are so stuck in your anxiety that you simply can't muster the strength or willingness to do the necessary things (exercise, therapy, adequate sleep), then I think medication may be a good idea. It's always worth it to try and learn new coping skills and deal with anxiety "naturally" at first, but sometimes people are so crippled by it that there really is no coping skill they can summon the energy to use.
Severely Impaired Functioning
If you are losing significant productivity, calling in sick often, getting written up, unable to fully care for your children at home, etc. because your anxiety is so bad, it may be worth considering medication. Similar to with safety concerns, severely impaired functioning can cause devastating consequences if left unchecked for too long. Taking medication in order to stay afloat is nothing to avoid or be ashamed of. We all need a helping hand sometimes. Remember that you can continue to practice coping strategies on top of taking medication--it isn't one or the other.
Taking medication is not a decision that should be made lightly, and it is highly personal. That being said, there are some instances where it needs to be strongly considered. If you fall into any of the above categories, remember that medication is not a life sentence. You can always reevaluate whether or not it is a good choice later on. In the meantime, seeing a psychiatrist to avoid crisis is nothing to feel bad about.