If you go to your doctor and tell him or her that you lack energy, are gaining weight, can’t sleep, can’t focus, or don’t have any motivation to do anything, he or she will likely suggest a prescription for an anti-depressant. These are not only the symptoms of depression, of course, but a representative set of complaints that many people experience as they age.
Physicians are trained to treat these symptoms by treating the assumed chemical imbalance in your brain in isolation from the rest of your body. This approach has led to the widespread over-prescription of anti-depressants. Often times, people are told that they will only need to be on these medications for a short time, but end up staying on it for the rest of their lives.
The sad truth about our healthcare system is that it is not designed to work for you. Doctors may have your best interests in mind, and truly want to help; but they are also trained in a system dominated by large pharmaceutical companies.
The companies that make medications want to make money by patenting and selling their drugs. Naturally occurring substances, such as bioidentical hormones, are not patentable, and so drug companies cannot make money selling them.
There is, however, an alternative approach to treating depression that involves looking at a person as a whole – and treating the person; not just their symptoms. This method does not typically rely on big-pharmaceutical drugs as heavily, as better results can often be achieved through natural means, such as bioidentical hormones.
Life On Anti-Depressants
Just because a drug is approved by the FDA does not mean that it is completely safe, only that its potential benefit outweighs its potential risk. Any new drug goes through a testing period of about 12 years. During this time, users give feedback on side effects that occur while taking the drug.
In addition, many drugs that are put on the market end up having unforeseen consequences and end up hurting people. There are many anti-depressants currently available with frightening lists of ugly side effects. Some of the more mild side effects include:
- Nausea
- Weight gain
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Loss of libido
Serious side effects can include psychosis, seizures and serotonin syndrome. Anti-depressants are notoriously hard to get off, as well, as doing so causes terrible withdrawal symptoms.
How To Escape The System & Take Control Of Your Health
The best thing you can do to take control of your health is to find a doctor who will treat you as a person, not as a set of symptoms. Traditional medicine compartmentalizes your body, but in reality it doesn’t function that way. An imbalance in one area, such as your hormone production, will impact another area, such as your brain. Testing for these imbalances is important, but your physician should also listen to you and monitor your progress as you go through treatment. In addition, find a physician who does not rely strictly on pharmaceutical drugs. Natural hormones have been produced and perfected in the human body for thousands of years. Since bio-identical hormones mimic the structure of the natural human hormones then the human body reacts the same way.
Anti-depressants should not be the go-to option for all symptoms of depression, especially considering the myriad of terrible side-effects they can cause. Unfortunately, physicians are encouraged to prescribe them in almost every situation that hints at depression. You can escape this trap by finding a physician who treats the person and finds a solution to their complaints that is not only effective, but devoid of the serious side effects of anti-depressants. This solution is often found in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.
