Approximately 40 million American adults - roughly 18 percent of the population - have an anxiety disorder, and the number of Americans who have fallen victim to the medications that were supposed to be treating their disorders is massive.
MEDICATIONS – HINDERING OR HELPING?
Overdose deaths attributed to benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonopin) have risen sevenfold over the past two decades. The number of adults being prescribed them increased by 67 percent - from 8.1 million to 13.5 million - between 1996 and 2013.
Benzos are also extremely addictive - hence the short-term treatment periods - and our bodies adjust to them when taken consistently over long periods of time, meaning we eventually need higher (and more dangerous) doses to achieve the same effects.
This addictive quality becomes particularly dangerous when users begin taking both benzos and opioids at the same time, which is surprisingly common.
SHOULD WE AVOID BENZODIAZEPINES ALTOGETHER?
The simple answer, once again, is definitely not. BUT there are coping mechanisms that we can develop and that people who use antidepressants can use to help reduce anxiety - many of which involve tools that we innately have within us, rather than intake a barrage of chemicals.
HOW CAN HYPNOSIS HELP?
Hypnosis is one of the most effective tools in controlling and reducing stress and anxiety. Hypnosis is a natural state that our mind uses as an escape from the overload of message units that bombard our brains every day. Learning how to use it, can help people release stress.
STRESS AND ANXIETY
Stress and Anxiety are increasing increases any condition, either psychological or physiological, and of about 75%, according to studies. That means, in any medical problem we experience, stress and anxiety contribute to the problem by aggravating it to almost double. In fact, we often don't even cure the original source of the condition, but rather, we treat our anticipatory anxiety and stress for having the problem itself.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DANGER
The psychological danger of intake intaking any substance in order to " control" our minds and/or body stands in the fact, that by taking a pill, create an association with the medication and the restoration of a healthy state. We therefore, attribute to an external source (pills) the power to stabilize our internal status, that follows the belief that we don't have the ability to be calm and relaxed otherwise. This is a type of habit that disempowers us.
BELIEFS TRAINER SESSIONS
In my sessions, I offer the opportunity to begin to create a healthy rapport in between our minds and our bodies, that leads to becoming our own "problem solver".
