Monthly Archives: January 2024

ANXIOUS? Anti-Anxiety Drugs Mask Your Fears — Facing Them Also Important.

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     A good article recently appeared discussing anti-anxiety drugs. This is especially important as anxiety among individuals and couples is escalating for numerous reasons. This article discusses the masking effect of these drugs and the great importance of confronting your fears. Here are some excerpts:

  • Many people don’t think twice about unwinding with a prescription benzodiazepine that can instantly bring physical calm, such as Klonopin, Ativan or Xanax. 
  • The problem is that when you start taking a benzo, the brain reduces its natural output of GABA, which means that tapering off the medication can result in even worse symptoms of anxiety, along with extremely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
  • When it comes to navigating anxiety, facing your fears rather than running away from them—or drugging them into submission—is essential to reclaiming your freedom. Having uncomfortable emotions and sensations is normal. Taking a sedative is about escaping those sensations and emotions, when what we actually need to learn is to accept them.
  • Another critical issue with these drugs is that people begin to rely on them as a coping strategy at the expense of other, healthier emotion regulation techniques.
 

“The Danger of Relying on Anti-Anxiety Drugs. (January 27, 2024).

COUPLES AND HOLIDAYS — How to Navigate them.

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Here are seven quick tips on how to navigate holidays as a couple. This is from a recent article “How to Navigate Holidays as a Couple.” (2021).

 

  1. “The Holiday Talk” for the Couple

It is essential to take the time and have a conversation, in advance, about what holidays mean for each of you.

  1.   Agree to Disagree about the Holidays as a Couple

If you are stuck in differences about the holidays, recognize that those differences might not be resolved within a couple of days. So be kind to each other’s differences, as it might take each of you a lot of time to change attitudes about the holidays.

  1.   Couple = Family

Think of yourselves together, the couple, as your own family. Remember, team A. If you think of yourselves as a family, it will help you feel empowered.

  1.   Use Each Other As a Shield

Lean on each other for support. After all, a healthy relationship is where our partners help us make changes and support our growth as individuals.

  1.   Self-Care

Self-care during the holidays is equally as vital as giving your energy to your family or each other as a couple. Ultimately, if you are not feeling your best, you cannot be or give your best to those around you.

  1. Limit Substances

The holidays are a time to celebrate, and there are no surprises that alcohol and/or drugs are being used during happy moments, sometimes excessively.

  1. What day is it today?

If all the above fails, it might be helpful to remind each other that people will be people, with all of their expectations, perspectives, and traditions, whether on a holiday or a random day like November 8th.

  1. Relationship Holidays: Navigate Holidays as a Couple!

The holidays can be a fun but sometimes stressful time. By having open couples communication about where each of you stands surrounding emotions, thoughts, and expectations, you are putting yourself in an excellent position to have the holidays be fun and less stressful.