If you have been a regular user of prescription anti-anxiety drugs, you may want to investigate natural healing methods if you plan on saving your brain.
A new study reported in The British Medical Journal reports that people who take commonly prescribed anti-anxiety medications are at increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s Disease.
Researchers looked at 2,000 men and women over the age of 66 in the Quebec health insurance system who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. They also looked at another 7,000 people who had not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s who were matched by age and sex with the ones who had been diagnosed. Then the researchers looked at which prescription drugs people took for the five to six years before they were diagnosed.
The study found that taking benzodiazopene drugs for three to six months raises your risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 32%. Becoming a habitual user for more than six months boosted the risk by 84%.
Which drugs are we talking about?
- Zanax (alprazolam)
- Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
- Klonopin (clonazepam)
- Tranxene (clorazepate)
- Valium (diazepam)
- Prosom (estazolam)
- Dalmane (flurazepam)
- Ativan (lorazepam)
- Serax (oxazepam)
- Restoril (temazepam)
- Halcion (triazolam)
- Doral (quazepam)
Although all medications have side effects, Alzheimer’s is a side effect that most people would want to avoid as currently there is no known effective cure or treatment for the disease.
“Unwarranted long term use of these drugs should be considered as a public health concern,” the study in The British Medical Journal said.
If you develop Alzheimer’s disease, not only does the quality of your life dramatically change, so does the quality of life of all your loved ones – your entire family and all the people who care for you.
My life’s work has been to empower people to take advantage of natural healing methods.
My life’s study has been focused particularly in the area of what actually works to heal the brain.
According to the Harvard Medical School Health Publication, the American Geriatrics Society added benzodiazepines to their list of inappropriate medications for treating insomnia, agitation, or delirium in 2012. That decision was made primarily because common side-effects of benzodiazepines—confusion and clouded thinking—often have disastrous consequences, including falls, fractures, and auto accidents.
If you have been taking these drugs, consider the following alternatives:
- Balance your blood sugar. Even a slight drop in your blood sugar can spike your stress hormones and set off a panic attack. I have helped countless clients stop having panic attacks and anxiety by beginning with this important step.
- Establish a habit of doing something every day to lower your stress level. Take a nap. Exercise. Sit in a hot bath.
- Learn breathing exercises. You can stop an anxiety or panic attack in a very short period of time with simple breathing exercises you can do for FREE anytime, anywhere. I teach a simple routine at this link on my blog.
- Learn how to meditate. You can join us for FREE every Monday night at 7:30 as we host a FREE meditation group.
- Practice yoga, tai chi and/or qi gong, which turn down your stress hormones.
- If you have been using any of these drugs to help you sleep, set up an appointment with me to identify why exactly you aren’t sleeping well and identify which natural healing alternatives will work for you instead.
- Do the inner work to clear the emotional/mental/spiritual issues underlying your anxiety. I work in person, by phone and by Skype. As a medical intuitive healer, I can both identify and clear these issues.
- Use natural healing remedies for your brain instead. Nutritional supplements have no side effects. Flower essences have no side effects. Many long-time users of prescription drugs are surprised how much more effective natural remedies are and how they feel better than when they are dozed and dazed by psychiatric medications.
- If you are concerned about your medications, talk to your doctor and get professional advice about getting off prescription drugs.
- Finally, set up an appointment with me to learn how you can heal your brain naturally. Call 678-612-8816 or email catherine@unlimitedenergynow.com.
My very first book, Healing Depression: A Holistic Guide (New York: Marlowe and Co., 1997) discussed how to heal depression without drugs. Many of the techniques I covered are equally effective for healing anxiety.
What is healing? Healing happens when you take responsibility for your health and take advantage of natural healing remedies.