by Ash Slomba.

There is a true time and place for prescription medications when it comes to treating certain conditions. However, many of us are relying on our prescriptions and ignoring important root causes. Through my experience, I have realized how truly important it is to advocate for my own health. 

I have never been on any long-term prescription medication; that is, until recently. Growing up I avoided taking antibiotics and pain medications, only turning to these when absolutely necessary. I have struggled with my mental health on and off for years and was determined to heal my symptoms of depression and anxiety through lifestyle shifts alone. 

After many years of maintaining my mental health with a regular exercise routine, an anti-inflammatory diet, and lots of sunshine, I had a sudden onset of many difficult changes: I was faced with a terrible breakup, I moved to a new city, and I went back to school… all at once. 

My mental health plummeted and it seemed as if all of my efforts were useless. I was completely overwhelmed and began to reach a point where I felt like I could not pull myself out of this downward spiral alone. With the advice of family members, I went to see a psychiatrist and was prescribed a low-dose antidepressant. I was VERY resistant to taking this medication. I felt that taking a prescription medication would go against my beliefs of living a holistic lifestyle and treating illness from the root cause. But in this circumstance, I felt that I was beyond making lifestyle adjustments to address the source of my mental turmoil. I simply needed the support that an antidepressant would provide. 

Begrudgingly, I took the medication. After a month or so, I felt the clouds clearing and was better able to manage my day to day life. I continued to take the medication and felt that during this time it was necessary to help me get through the turmoil I was facing, and allow me to focus on my studies. I was feeling so much better!… or so I thought. 

Over the year that I was taking this antidepressant, I slowly but surely let every single one of my wellness practices slip away. I found that without the need for immediate stress relief and an endorphin high I was no longer motivated to exercise in any way shape or form. I began to change my eating habits for the worse, finding myself eating cheese, breads, and SO MUCH sugar that I would have otherwise avoided in the past. I was not sleeping adequately and would spend many nights out late with friends or scurrying around my apartment until the early hours of the morning. I had no consistent routine whatsoever and I was flying by the seat of my pants with my health– but my mental state was doing well… right? 

How could my mental state be genuinely doing well when everything else was crumbling around it?

I eventually decided with the help of my psychiatrist that it could be a good time to taper down on my prescription dosage. I was in a more stable place with my mental health (despite my utter lack of routine and throwing caution to the wind with all of my health practices). 

Once I began to taper off the medication, the gaps in my routine and health lifestyle were CLEAR to see. As a competitive athlete for the entirety of my life, I always had an ongoing exercise routine… up until this year. I also used to cook many nutritious meals with a variety of fruits and vegetables– also gone with the wind at this point. And for my sleep, I had never been so out of whack in my entire life. 

When I was taking the antidepressant, yes, it helped me stay resilient through a difficult period in my life. And I do stand by the notion that oftentimes an antidepressant (and other prescription medications for various treatments) can be remarkably helpful in times of dire need. HOWEVER… I was relying on this medication for everything. I was not taking any of the responsibility for my health into my own hands. And this led me to having to rebuild my health routines from scratch after I no longer was reliant on my medication. 

Since this transition off of my prescription, I have found even greater value in my health routines for sustaining my vitality and wellbeing in every aspect of my life. My exercise routine, eating habits, and sleep are all more consistent than ever because I have realized how truly important it is to advocate for my own health. 

Medication may be necessary at certain times, but it is so important to recognize areas where we may be overly reliant on medications to carry us, causing our typical health practices to fall by the wayside. 

Take care of yourself, and remember not to forget the simple health practices that, when done with consistency, can have profound and SUSTAINABLE impact on our long term well-being.