E61: QHPM - Breaking the Stigma Around Medication

Anxiety is an Overactive Nervous System Response The Psychotherapist explains that anxiety and depression are closely related "cousins". Anxiety is essentially a stress response that is overworking on a massive scale. This can often be triggered by trauma—defined as something coming "too fast, too soon" or "too little for too long"—which causes the body to continuously pump the stress hormone cortisol. If this cortisol isn't turned off, it can ultimately damage the kidneys and liver.Breaking the Stigma Around Medication The Lawyer shared a highly vulnerable story about dealing with profound grief and sleep deprivation after her mother's sudden passing. She emphasizes that turning to supervised psychiatric medication, like Prozac, is not a sign of weakness. Medication can be a crucial temporary fix that allows a hyperactive, grieving brain to finally "take a breath" and rest.Foundational Coping Strategies You Can Do for Free To build physical resilience against anxiety, the panel recommends focusing on foundational habits:Give Your Worry a Job with the "Wheel of Control" Negociante discusses the anxiety caused by bad online reviews and business operations. To stop the endless loop of rumination, the Psychotherapist suggests drawing a "Wheel of Control". Write down the problem and categorize your options into three areas: what is entirely in your control, what you can only influence, and what is completely out of your control. By focusing your energy solely on what you can control, you give your worry a tangible "job" and prevent analysis paralysis.