I agree. Prozac has made so much difference in my life. I wish I had known about it years ago. I might be in a better situation now, might have had a much happier and more productive working life. And I certainly wish I had had it when I was riding.
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This kind of ignorance just needs to stop.
Yes. Depression IS a terrible affliction. So is panic/anxiety disorder. I know, because I have both.
Your arguement is bass-ackwards. Trying to recover WITHOUT medication is extremely difficult.
Just as some diabetics can manage their chronic disease with diet and exercise, so can some with mental illness manage their chronic and debilitating condition with therapy alone.
Other diabetics need to take insulin in order to give diet and exercise a fighting chance. And even then, they may need insulin for the rest of their lives because their pancreas just doesnât function properly. Likewise, some living with anxiety and depression need medication for some time and then can manage with therapy alone. Others need medication for the rest of their lives.
I am one of those people.
The brain is an ORGAN in the body, not some mythical thing. It is just as susceptible to disease and injury as the pancreas, liver, heart, lungs, kidneys or lymphanic system. Why should one âwill awayâ an illness of the former, yet actively take medication for the management of the latter?
In our summer news cycle, we have two major equestrian superstars going public with brain-related afflictions: Peters talking about anxiety and depression, while Eric Lamaze talks about his brain tumor. Both of them are being very brave and have said theyâre coming forward in part because doing so may help others.
Would you tell Eric to âwill awayâ his brain tumor? Manage it without medication?
Let me take what you said and read it back to you, substituting Ericâs issue for Steffenâs:
âUntil people, including some ONCOLOGISTS, realize that many CANCERS are manageable without medication. Recoveries are difficult.â
Do you see how ridiculous that sounds, especially coming from someone who confesses right off that they have never had the disease?
Why donât we just tell our horses to âwill awayâ their ulcers? Why not deny our Cushings horses their Prascend?
Because without medication, they will suffer. Many will die. Long, slow, painful and horrible deaths.
Every day, people with mental illnesses suffer. And every day, people with mental illnesses die long, slow, painful and horrible deaths. Many of them needlessly so, because of the stigmas and antiquated thinking displayed by folks like the OP.
And in case you canât tell, I am furious about it. I, and others like me, are not âweakerâ or âlesserâ simply because one of our organs doesnât function properly. Indeed. We are âbraverâ and âmoreâ because weâre standing and fighting our illness, using the best weapons we have.
And we are winning.
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Anyone who battles disease, obvious or not, does what works for them, individually. Meds are not bad things. Good on Steffen for going public; even those at the high performance level have challenges, some we hear about, some we donât. He gave the best description of what he feels like. It helps to understand just how ruthless depression and anxiety can be. Wish him only the best.
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I am so glad that he did the article. I think it was very helpful for those of us who may suffer some of the same symptoms as Mr. Peters does to hear of his journey. We are not alone. ;
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