I have been
taking ‘happy pills’ since I was diagnosed with depression in 1993. Depression
runs in my family and I was no exception to the diagnosis. As I grew up, my mom
became an advocate for education and treatment of the disease. When I began to
have symptoms, I was able to recognize it almost immediately and get help.
I was lucky.
I got help early. And ‘happy pills’ have
been part of my existence for the past 30 years. I’ve learned a lot through my
experience. I learned to turn to God and trust in Him. He loves us no matter
what. My depression required me to talk
to a doctor and be open to taking medication. I’ve learned that not every
medication works the same way for everyone. And I learned the importance of
therapy/therapists.
God, doctors
and therapists have truly been blessings in my life, but I need to add one more
type of person to this list: friends who care.
Occasionally,
throughout my ordeal, I have had to change medications. A few times, my body
built up an immunity to the medication. And, at other times, medications aren’t
the ‘right fit.’
A few years
ago, I needed to change my medication. I had tried something that didn’t work,
so my doctor and I decided to try a new medication called Pristiq. I was
excited to try this pill because I thought the name was incredible. It made me
feel like I was an X-Man – perhaps because it rhymed with Mistique. Things like
that amuse me.
I began
taking Pristiq. I didn’t notice a difference right away, but then I suffered a
panic attack. I’ve heard about panic attacks, and I’d been stressed before, but
it is not the same thing.
The Mayo
Clinic describes a panic attack as “a sudden episode of intense fear that
triggers sever physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent
cause. Often, a person in the midst of a panic attack feels as if they are
losing control, or even dying.”
My panic
attack was at church. My family always arrives at church 30 minutes early, just
so I can have ‘my’ spot. This Sunday, another family was sitting in our
location. Suddenly, without warning, I began crying uncontrollably. I began
shaking and sweating. My heart was pounding. It was frightening and
humiliating. I missed sacrament meeting that week, and hid in an empty
classroom.
My husband
and daughters were completely bewildered at the irrational behavior of their
wife and mother. They didn’t know how to handle the crazy situation.
My best
friend Amy also recognized that for the past week I had been out of sorts. She
noticed that I was easily irritated and withdrawn. So, she went to work. She did
what she does best: research. She remembered that I had changed medication
recently and looked up symptoms of Pristiq. Sure enough, one of the side
effects was panic attacks.
Amy brought
her concerns to Scott and together they confronted me. They kindly asked me to
go back to the doctor. I did. And they gave me a new prescription. Within a
month, I was back to ‘normal.’
How do you
respond when mental challenges confront you or those you love? As Elder Jeffrey
R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains, “Above all, never
lose faith in your Father in Heaven. … Believe in miracles. … Hope is never
lost, … Seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional
skills, and good values. … [And remember] Our Father in Heaven expects us to
use ALL of the marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.”
ALL of our
marvelous gifts include loving spouses, children and friends who come to our
rescue.
At least
that’s the way I remember it.
