|
Back |
Home |
Essays |
Chronology |
FAQ |
E-Mail |
|
Beware of charlatans! Unfortunately, many questionable products are aggressively marketed to the anxiety disorder community; including a number of misleading books, cassette tapes, CDs, videos, DVDs, seminars, or even vacation-like spas or therapeutic retreats. Pay close attention to the producers of such products, consider their qualifications, the way they present themselves and their financial motives. Beware of phrases like, "helped many people" (the term 'many' could mean anything and is not the same as 'most' in a statistical sense). Likewise, beware of the term 'cure' since doctors and therapists agree that panic disorder has no cure yet, only a variety of effective treatments. Aggressive marketing should always be treated with skepticism, the buyer should always beware, and anything that sounds too good to be true probably is. Self help resources should be explored wisely. Such techniques can be helpful to some degree, but they rarely live up to their claims and are often inadequate for panic disorders. Self help can be useful, but should not be considered a surrogate or replacement for the guidance of an appropriate doctor or therapist. Herbal or natural remedies should be explored with caution. Such remedies often seem attractive and harmless in comparison to pharmaceutical medications. However, 'natural' does not always mean 'safe'. Substances produced by nature can be as potent or toxic as any modern pharmaceutical. Remarkably, the chemical molecules of natural substances can be very similar to modern pharmaceuticals. Consequently, a number of natural substances share many of the same medical precautions and interactions as their pharmaceutical cousins. This issue is sometimes further complicated by the addition of such substances to popular drinks, foods and vitamin supplements in the spirit of 'enhancement'. Self medicating is not encouraged! Substances such as alcohol and numerous other recreational substances may feel good and reduce anxiety in the short-term, but they can actually cause or worsen an anxiety disorder in the long-term. Also, never use a prescription medication without a doctor's guidance. If you are self medicating, please consult a doctor. Never trust negative moments! Anyone with panic disorder is likely to experience periods of profound despair. During such periods, a mood of futility can profoundly bias our thoughts; leading to very convincing and seemingly rational moments of absolute hopelessness. Yet, such moments of negativity are irrational and misleading in hindsight. With experience, we can learn to recognize our negative moments and not trust our thoughts at such times. The thoughts that we should trust and remember are the thoughts we have during our better moments.
|