{"id":6367,"date":"2017-06-23T14:05:02","date_gmt":"2017-06-23T21:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/?p=6367"},"modified":"2019-09-04T07:20:11","modified_gmt":"2019-09-04T14:20:11","slug":"prozac-nation-now-united-states-xanax-new-york-times-magazine-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/prozac-nation-now-united-states-xanax-new-york-times-magazine-response\/","title":{"rendered":"Prozac Nation Is Now the United States of Xanax in New York Times Magazine: my response"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This is the title of a new article recently published in the New York Times Magazine: Prozac Nation Is Now the United States of Xanax<\/a>. In other words, depression has been surpassed by anxiety and the antidepressant Prozac has been replaced by Xanax (and other benzodiazepines \/anti-anxiety medications) by the US population!<\/p>\n

It’s an excellent read for creating awareness about anxiety and benzodiazepines but also sad because there is so much we can do and no solutions are offered. Here are some startling stats shared in the article:<\/p>\n

According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, some 38 percent of girls ages 13 through 17, and 26 percent of boys, have an anxiety disorder. [Note: this was quoted in the article. I\u2019m trying to track down the source because an article in Time Magazine <\/a> last year says this: \u2018About 30% of girls and 20% of boys\u2013totaling 6.3 million teens\u2013have had an anxiety disorder, according to data from the National Institute of Mental Health\u2019 as of 2015.]\n

On college campuses, anxiety is running well ahead of depression as the most common mental health concern, according to a 2016 national study of more than 150,000 students<\/a>\u00a0by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Pennsylvania State University. [Both anxiety and depression have shown slight but persistent increases each year for the past six years]\n

Meanwhile, the number of web searches involving the term [anxiety] has nearly doubled over the last five years, according to Google Trends. (The trendline for \u201cdepression\u201d was relatively flat.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019m the optimistic type, I\u2019m proactive and I like to give hope as well as solutions – and I have quite a bit to say about this article so here goes.<\/p>\n

#1 Too many people are prescribed benzodiazepines without knowing what they are getting into<\/h3>\n

The article does not address the issues with benzodiazepines: how too many people are prescribed benzodiazepines without knowing what they are getting into, with many suffering dreadfully and never offered nutritional solutions. When I shared the article on my facebook page<\/a>, someone in my community shared this (and gave me permission to share it further in the hope someone else will be spared her suffering)<\/p>\n

Been totally disabled by benzo for 3.5 years. I have been off meds for 17.5 months and the impact of these meds makes any anxiety I ever felt a cake walk. Please run from the poison. Find healthy foods, nutrition and take the break your body is begging you for. We need to listen to our bodies! If it is screaming with anxiety maybe you need to make some life changes. I wish I did instead of taking a med that has almost destroyed me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I asked her what symptoms she was experiencing, and as well as suffering from severe motion sickness (so badly she can\u2019t even leave her home) she also shared this:<\/p>\n

I have locked shoulder muscles, neck, jaw; I have internal vibrations, I get bad headaches, jelly legs, distorted vision like floaters and squiggles and fireworks, my teeth all feel like they will fall out but they are not lose, it feels like adrenaline or cortisol rushes through the body. Sometimes arms go numb. I am pretty tortured every day. These meds are truly causing chemical warfare on some of us.<\/p>\n

I believe this will be the next big epidemic and I hope I heal somehow to help others<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She had been on a variety of benzodiazepines, SSRIs and other medications for over 17 years and you may think this is an isolated incidence. I assure you it is not – just read the list of the most common psychological and physical symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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5mg diazepam \/ Valium, a benzodiazepine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here is some useful information about the risks and dangers of benzodiazepines:<\/p>\n