Drug Side-Effects
"A recent review of the research found that benzodiazepine use may have long-term effects on memory and increase the risk for dementia."
Here is the abstract for the study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26715389
Here is a list of Benzodiazepines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_benzodiazepines
Commonly used "Benzos" are Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan and Restoril. They are usually prescribed as anti-anxiety medications. If you know anyone who uses any of these medications, now would be a good time for them to talk to their doctor about this study. If it were me, I would have serious concerns about continuing usage.
Beyond these specific drugs, this is a good reminder that the long-term effects of most medications, particularly mental health drugs, are largely unknown. If you take medications, you should be thinking about if that is what is best for your long-term health.
May you be well.
Woah. It seems that they just keep finding more and more side effects to all these drugs that "help" with emotional problems. Drug free all the way! Just FEEL IT!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, but "Just FEEL IT" is not very easy. That's why understanding the mechanics of emotion is so important. It gives you an instruction manual for how to just feel it.
DeleteOh. And your quotes around "help" are exactly right. The drugs dampen the feeling of the emotions. They don't "help" with anything other than ignoring our feelings. Great comment. Thank you.