Cecelia White

Recently, I was having a conversation with a family member about someone else who was suffering with anxiety to the point that he quit his job. My family member said that this person should “just get over it” and go find another job.  Obviously, this led to a discussion about why people with an anxiety disorder can’t “just get over it,” and that by saying such statements, a person with severe anxiety can become even more isolated and less likely to seek treatments that can help a person who is suffering begin to feel better. All of us feel anxious in certain situations or under certain circumstances. Giving a big...

As I was scrolling through social media this week, I came across several news stories that my friends and coworkers had posted regarding the new U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Apparently, during his confirmation hearings, he made a statement about SSRIs being as addictive as heroin. SSRIs are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibiters and are used to treat depression and anxiety. They work to increase the serotonin level in your brain and include such medications as Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Paxil among others. Heroin, on the other hand, falls into a class of medications called opioids and affects the level of Dopamine in your brain....