Pills, potions, panic attacks and peace.

Prescribed medicine, natural remedies or divine intervention?

The right way to cure an illness or condition is a long-running debate and one which provokes strong opinions amongst people of every culture, religion and background.

Of course, the way someone has been raised may have a huge impact on their beliefs and others may be bound, through faith, to only consider a limited number of solutions.

Indeed, some religions even forbid the use of pharmaceutical medication prescribed by registered doctors and will only allow remedies which are produced naturally, whilst others tend to put their faith in what they believe is a higher being, believing that prayers, mantras and potions are what a patient needs.

Whilst the full range of treatments I have mentioned have been tried as a remedy to virtually every condition, I am going to focus on mental health in this particular article.

During my battles with periodic depression, I have to confess to trying them all.

I dislike taking antidepressant/anxiety medication and, whenever I start to feel better, I speak to my doctor, reduce the dosage gradually (you should never just stop taking such medication as it can cause a dramatic plunge back into the depressive state) and then stop taking them at the earliest opportunity.

I prefer to rely on sport (which for me remains my most important drug) and other physical and mental activities to help me keep the “black dog” at bay. However, I realise there have been times, including last year, when I have needed to begin a course of prescribed medication to give me the help required.

In my own experience, this form of medication has helped stabilise the condition and make up for the lack chemicals whose absence in the brain are linked to depression. This, in turn, has enabled me to continue with my life, regain my strength and get to points further down the line where I have eventually been able to stop taking it.

However, I fully appreciate the help the medication has given me and, whilst I never want to become dependant on it, I never discount using it to aid my recovery.

For some people, the use of such medication can be a lifelong process, but if that is what is needed to help them move forward positively and lead a stable and fulfilling life, then I completely understand why.

I would prefer to use natural remedies and have tried several different types, such as St John’s Wort (a herbal remedy) and meditation. They have been met with varying degrees of success, although in the latter case it is a practice that I still use regularly and it really does help.

I have also allowed (foolishly, due to the subsequent negative effects) a couple of ex partners to steer me away from or convince me to instantly stop taking prescription medication due to their own fierce opposition to pharmaceutical solutions.

One even denied the existence of depression as a condition at all, going as far as to blame witchcraft for how I was feeling. Bear in mind, this particular person was, and still is, a practitioner of the aforementioned “arts” herself, so I didn’t discount her opinion, and even allowed her to administer a couple of her own alternatives.

However to dismiss depression as an illness in itself showed a lack of empathy for my true condition. Compassion wasn’t exactly forthcoming during several anxiety attacks I suffered either. *

As anyone who has suffered an anxiety (panic) attack will know, it can be a devastating and extremely disconcerting experience and, in my own case, I haven’t always been able to remember most of what actually happened during the episode (although I do know that I have suffered severe shaking and other symptoms to the point of exhaustion), which has left me feeling very disoriented, nervous and emotional when I have finally been able to regain my normal senses.

Fortunately, the attacks in this most severe form have not been a regular occurrence for me, but to encounter such a dismissive attitude to my condition was not only deeply hurtful and disrespectful to myself, but it showed a complete lack of comprehension for what are both (depression and anxiety) officially recognised and often serious illnesses.

Of course, I take full responsibility for allowing myself to be influenced, it was my own decision and I should have continued with the professionally prescribed medication I was taking at that time, which I had to return to anyway due to the dramatic withdrawal effects of suddenly stopping.

The way I see it is that if prescribed medicine speeds up my recovery process and helps me get back to my usual happy, outgoing self more quickly, then surely that’s better for me and those around me. Furthermore, you would hope and expect those closest to you to be supportive and want the best for you too.

That said, mental health in general is complex and frequently misunderstood and, as I have mentioned, I know from experience how reluctant some people can be to accept that illnesses such as depression even exist.

Depression can hit anyone at any time, regardless of status, wealth or background. It’s an illness and should be given the same consideration, respect and understanding as other conditions.

The fact that some people still don’t says more about the ignorance and lack of empathy of those particular individuals than it does about those of us who suffer, whether continuously or periodically, from this often debilitating illness.

There is also a need to understand and show compassion to people with other often misunderstood conditions, which are frequently associated with mental health.

I have people in my life, and know others on a less personal level, with other conditions and disorders. Some of them have accepted their problem, asked for help and been diagnosed. As a result they are receiving treatment, making progress and leading a happier, healthier life. I applaud their bravery and admire the steps they are taking. I am also with them all the way, offering my help and support.

Other people I know, however, continue to deny there is anything wrong. They continue to suffer themselves and, in some cases and as a result of the seriousness of the condition or disorder in question, cause deep hurt not only to themselves but those around them due to the behaviour associated with it.

I must point out that whilst I am expressing how I deal with my own illness, as well as the methods I use to overcome it, I am certainly not criticising those who believe other methods are better.

Whilst I know what works for me, I completely respect anyone else’s right and decision to take the appropriate action that they themselves feel comfortable with.

If they believe that treatment based purely on natural or homeopathic remedies are the way forward, then good luck to them. The same goes for those who base their attempts to recover on a particular belief, whether it be connected to religion or any other form of alternative methods, even those associated with the ancient art of witchcraft. *

However, we are all free to choose how we combat illness, and whilst one thing may work for one person, it may not (and in some cases can have a negative opposite effect) for others.

One of the main reasons I talk so openly about my own battles with depression is because I want to offer help and support to fellow sufferers, as well as create awareness and help reduce the stigma attached to the condition.

I also hope that my articles encourage respect and tolerance for the plight of others, regardless of their beliefs.

Everyone is different and we all have our own ways of dealing with things, including illness.

Whilst we may not agree with one person’s methods in finding a cure, we should still respect their right to choose, and if that person is someone close and/or someone we love, then we should offer them our help and support.

At the end of the day, the important thing is to recover and lead a healthy and productive life (or at the very least control the condition and reduce any associated suffering), and if we can find a solution that achieves that aim, whether individually or collectively, then surely that has got to be a good thing.

Website: www.pauldbull.com

* FOOTNOTE: I will go into more detail about witches and witchcraft, as well as my own experiences, in future blog articles, as well as in my forthcoming book, Both Sides of the Story.