Work Stress, Anxiety And Depression Aren´t Caused By A Lack Of Prozac
Dr. Paul Lanthois
August 07, 2008
Many businesses and workers are being put under even greater strain as they try to cope with the ever-increasing rate of worker absenteeism or poor work performance due to "work-related stress". It is interesting to observe that the discovery of the drug Ritalin prompted a sudden epidemic in children diagnosed with ADHD. Has the development of anti-depressant drugs and anti-anxiety medication triggered the rise in cases of work related stress?
When you think about it, does it make sense that you or I are stressed because of a lack of Prozac in our bloodstream?
I have been confused why the mental health experts and support groups are at pains to try and convince us that anxiety and depression are diseases. They say that anxiety and depression are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain giving us an inability to feel happy. Of course, the suppliers and distributors of chemicals are going to say that the problem is chemical.
Many doctors continue to blindly hand out these so-called "happy pills" despite a major recent study that demonstrates that anti-depressant medications have no significant effect. Professor Irving Kirsch and his team came to this conclusion following an analysis of 47 major clinical trials (1) (both published and unpublished) involving the use of anti-depressants. It is also interesting to discover that only the trials with the most favorable results for the drugs were published. (Subsequently, the regulatory authorities only saw the published studies!)
The truth is that anxiety and depression are emotions. They are emotions that we do. I put it to you that we do not suffer depression and anxiety. We do depression and anxiety. People that say that they are suffering from stress, depression or anxiety have simply got into the habit of doing those emotions. Just like any skill that you haven´t done for a long time, how to do emotions like happiness can be forgotten over time.
Many of you that are doing a mental illness or have a friend or relative doing a mental illness may be offended by my suggestions, thinking that I am trivializing mental health issues or re-casting a stigma around mental health. To those people I say that I am speaking from experience. I am very familiar with the impact of mental health challenges. My own stepbrother committed suicide and two other stepsiblings have attempted suicide and ten years ago I myself had mastered the skill of doing panic attacks and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown (although I now describe it as a nervous breakthrough).
During an immensely challenging 12-month period and with the help from a lot of people and without any medication I successfully retrained my patterns of thinking. I knew I was back on track when Barry, my resident skeptic client described me as "pathologically happy". I am not saying this to impress you. I am saying this to impress upon you that everyone has the ability and capacity to exert control over their emotions. Yes, some people find it harder than others. I find it hard to swim well so I just have to practice more.
A year ago I was fortunate to help out at a health center where my assistant from 10 years earlier, Berni was working. In all my years of working with Berni, she always had a smile on her face and a happy outgoing disposition. Even during times of challenge, Berni would win my vote for the happiest person in the world. During my stint working there, Berni and her husband Mick invited me to stay at their house.
While staying at their house I was woken at 5.30am to what I thought were faint sounds of laughter and giggling. After fifteen minutes, this chorus of laughing was getting stronger. Curiosity got the better of me so I trudged out of bed to get a glass of water. As I walked passed their home office, I caught a glance at Berni, dressed in her exercise gear laughing. On returning from the kitchen, I glanced in again and Berni saw me, "Good morning. Isn´t it just a delightful morning,"she beamed in the most genuine and kind manner. I noticed that she was dressed in her exercise clothes doing what appeared to be laughing exercises.
I returned to my room with a warm glow in my heart. "So that´s how she does it!" I said to myself. "No wonder she is so happy. She is the only person I knew who practices laughing." Sure, I have heard of those laughing groups that get together but I dismissed it as an "only In California" activity.
Whether practicing laughing is your thing or not it definitely pays to get back and begin exercising your happiness muscles. How can you do this? You can try what I did.
When learning anything about sport, school, business or relationships I placed very little credence on academic qualifications or position. I only paid attention to people who were more skilled or successful than me in a particular area. As the cliché goes, "Talk is cheap." I chose to pay attention to people who walked their talk.
The people who were advising me to go for the drug approach didn´t seem to be all that happy themselves. People involved in mental health support and other people with mental health challenges were fantastic but they didn´t embody what I wanted to feel like.
I chose to observe and study people who had busy, challenging lives who were also happy. I asked them questions about how they coped in certain situations and I copied many of their approaches.
If you don´t know of anyone who is really happy read about someone who you admire or re-learn some happiness strategies from a therapist.
This is where the workplace can be of great support for employees struggling handling stress. Happiness and optimism are priceless skills that I believe surpass any form of technical training. By placing greater emphasis on employing happy, optimistic people not only will they help encourage a more enjoyable work environment but they will also be an invaluable resource in helping show others how to more effectively manage stress.
References
1) Kirsch I, Deacon BJ, Huedo-Medina TB, Scoboria A, Moore TJ, et al. (2008) Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration. PLoS Med 5(2): e45 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045
When you think about it, does it make sense that you or I are stressed because of a lack of Prozac in our bloodstream?
I have been confused why the mental health experts and support groups are at pains to try and convince us that anxiety and depression are diseases. They say that anxiety and depression are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain giving us an inability to feel happy. Of course, the suppliers and distributors of chemicals are going to say that the problem is chemical.
Many doctors continue to blindly hand out these so-called "happy pills" despite a major recent study that demonstrates that anti-depressant medications have no significant effect. Professor Irving Kirsch and his team came to this conclusion following an analysis of 47 major clinical trials (1) (both published and unpublished) involving the use of anti-depressants. It is also interesting to discover that only the trials with the most favorable results for the drugs were published. (Subsequently, the regulatory authorities only saw the published studies!)
The truth is that anxiety and depression are emotions. They are emotions that we do. I put it to you that we do not suffer depression and anxiety. We do depression and anxiety. People that say that they are suffering from stress, depression or anxiety have simply got into the habit of doing those emotions. Just like any skill that you haven´t done for a long time, how to do emotions like happiness can be forgotten over time.
Many of you that are doing a mental illness or have a friend or relative doing a mental illness may be offended by my suggestions, thinking that I am trivializing mental health issues or re-casting a stigma around mental health. To those people I say that I am speaking from experience. I am very familiar with the impact of mental health challenges. My own stepbrother committed suicide and two other stepsiblings have attempted suicide and ten years ago I myself had mastered the skill of doing panic attacks and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown (although I now describe it as a nervous breakthrough).
During an immensely challenging 12-month period and with the help from a lot of people and without any medication I successfully retrained my patterns of thinking. I knew I was back on track when Barry, my resident skeptic client described me as "pathologically happy". I am not saying this to impress you. I am saying this to impress upon you that everyone has the ability and capacity to exert control over their emotions. Yes, some people find it harder than others. I find it hard to swim well so I just have to practice more.
A year ago I was fortunate to help out at a health center where my assistant from 10 years earlier, Berni was working. In all my years of working with Berni, she always had a smile on her face and a happy outgoing disposition. Even during times of challenge, Berni would win my vote for the happiest person in the world. During my stint working there, Berni and her husband Mick invited me to stay at their house.
While staying at their house I was woken at 5.30am to what I thought were faint sounds of laughter and giggling. After fifteen minutes, this chorus of laughing was getting stronger. Curiosity got the better of me so I trudged out of bed to get a glass of water. As I walked passed their home office, I caught a glance at Berni, dressed in her exercise gear laughing. On returning from the kitchen, I glanced in again and Berni saw me, "Good morning. Isn´t it just a delightful morning,"she beamed in the most genuine and kind manner. I noticed that she was dressed in her exercise clothes doing what appeared to be laughing exercises.
I returned to my room with a warm glow in my heart. "So that´s how she does it!" I said to myself. "No wonder she is so happy. She is the only person I knew who practices laughing." Sure, I have heard of those laughing groups that get together but I dismissed it as an "only In California" activity.
Whether practicing laughing is your thing or not it definitely pays to get back and begin exercising your happiness muscles. How can you do this? You can try what I did.
When learning anything about sport, school, business or relationships I placed very little credence on academic qualifications or position. I only paid attention to people who were more skilled or successful than me in a particular area. As the cliché goes, "Talk is cheap." I chose to pay attention to people who walked their talk.
The people who were advising me to go for the drug approach didn´t seem to be all that happy themselves. People involved in mental health support and other people with mental health challenges were fantastic but they didn´t embody what I wanted to feel like.
I chose to observe and study people who had busy, challenging lives who were also happy. I asked them questions about how they coped in certain situations and I copied many of their approaches.
If you don´t know of anyone who is really happy read about someone who you admire or re-learn some happiness strategies from a therapist.
This is where the workplace can be of great support for employees struggling handling stress. Happiness and optimism are priceless skills that I believe surpass any form of technical training. By placing greater emphasis on employing happy, optimistic people not only will they help encourage a more enjoyable work environment but they will also be an invaluable resource in helping show others how to more effectively manage stress.
References
1) Kirsch I, Deacon BJ, Huedo-Medina TB, Scoboria A, Moore TJ, et al. (2008) Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration. PLoS Med 5(2): e45 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045
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