Understanding Medicines for Anxiety

Understanding Medicines for Anxiety is a full of Science, History and Logic. The author is descriptive in his attempt at sharing with his readers about the full consequence of using anxiety meds to treat Anxiety. He makes you aware that there are options both medicinal and psychotherapeutically. The History behind the different anxiety meds are quite interesting. So many improvements have been made over time, but the need is still great, as Life has a way of generating a need for "help" along the way at times. The author shares about the way the different anxiety meds react to the body and vice versa, and even how they interact with the brain. He wants the reader to know that basically what is good for one is not necessarily good for all. Once again, it makes a person think about the "why" of your need for anxiety meds. Is it in the best interest of each particular patient? I love that this book is out there for others to read, so they/we can become abreast of the working of different anxiety meds. The author goes into the proper dosing and also overdosing, and the results of both. I do think that this book is a great read for the Doctor's review, The Students review, The Patient's review and knowledge, so that they are not totally in the dark on what they are taking in to their body, so they can weigh the outcome and know if anxiety meds are best for them, or even needed. Sometimes, a Therapist is all you need. I don't feel like this author is pushing anti-depressents, he's just making the reader aware of the options that are out there. Our health is important and this book is a great addition to your Library, for reading, and re-reading, so you're not in the dark if you find yourself having to address whether or not you need anxiety meds at some point in your life. I would add that sometimes all a person needs is a routine of meditation and an inward look at self and then an upward look to God. This is my opinion and I'm free to give it, whether or not anyone receives it, it's still an option, and less costly and the results are always good. I do understand that sometimes there is a need for some added medicinal help along the way and that's all good too, just being informed can take the edge off and this book does just that. Kudos to the author for sharing his findings and work with the reader.

Medicine and the health industry in general can be very intimidating to learn about for a lot of people. When it comes to prescription medicine I myself am not a huge fan. I experienced watching my previous partner go through an up and down rollercoaster with depression and anxiety medicine. However, given my background on it already, I found the information provided in this book to be extremely helpful and useful. Dr. Mendelson goes into great detail about how exactly medicine works in the body. The processes were very intriguing and interesting to explore. One thing that stood out to me was the part of the book that went into detail how dosages may affect us at different ages. When we are prescribed prescriptions for life ailments, a lot of the times it is for long term or the remainder of our life. Dr. Mendelson spoke on how the medicine can be prohibited from being processed properly by the body, when it is bombarded with another dosage prematurely. I thought this was particularly interesting, because he stated that it is how drugs are accumulated in the body. Immediately this made my mind jump to the addiction side of prescription drugs. The body becomes so use to functioning with the medicine that the person can have a difficult time weaning themselves off of it. So that was a very light bulb ish moment for me. Additionally other factors such as the longevity of the effects of the medicine also play a part in how often a person may take them as well as how their body in particular processes the drugs. Overall it was a very eye opening read. I recommend as it is powerful to be able to walk away with a better understanding of prescribed medicines. Dr. Mendelson is very good at making sure the reader knows that there are different solutions for everyone and that there are alternatives available that have been successful. If you have someone close to you suffering with anxiety or depression, use this book to become more knowledgeable and also it may help in finding a better solution for them.

This is a fantastic, brief overview of treatments for anxiety. The well-respected doctor who authored Understanding Anxiety Medicines has spent years treating patients using a variety of methods including medicinal and non-traditional therapies. In this book, he complied years of wisdom into a clear, concise easy to read and understand book about the most common medications prescribed for anxiety. My family has felt that pain of battling depression and anxiety. We have also been through the, often, frustrating process of trying medications, giving them time to get into the body’s system, only to discover they didn’t work. If you are in or have been in this most difficult process of treatment for anxiety and depression, I really believe you and your support group will benefit from this book. Dr. Mendelson discusses the value and use of talk therapies and medications. His simple exposition about the different types of medications, their benefits, and potential side effects can be kept on hand as a quick reference when you are discussing medications with your physician. This book equips you to be a participant and partner in determining your best healthcare. Before you read it you may find yourself lost in jargon, medicine classifications, and especially off-label prescription use. This book will help bring the clarity you need. This is a highly recommended read if you suffer from anxiety or love and support someone who does. Don’t ignore it, and don’t try to figure it out on your own. Get with a doctor and get this manual to help you understand what it is you may be taking and how it affects your brain and body.

Sometimes when you pick up a book that pertains to specific ailment, disease, or illness, and you are not a medical professional, you are lost in all the medical jargon. This is not one of those books. Although the author is a doctor, the book is written in easy to read language that anyone can understand. Dr. Mendelson’s Understanding Medicines for Anxiety is a helpful reference for not only a health professional or medical student, but also for anyone who has anxiety, or if you live with someone who does. It opens your eyes to possible medical illnesses or drugs you are taking (prescription or OTC) that can cause anxiety. The chapters are well organized, and contain some figures throughout the text. The selected bibliography contains links that can be a useful tool for further reading. The book begins with an understanding of anxiety. This chapter is well worth the read, clearly explaining anxiety, and what leads to anxiety. The next few chapters discuss drugs, including a chapter on medical marijuana, a very hot topic these days. I really thought it was a wonderful addition to include a chapter that discusses things to think about if you are experiencing anxiety, and getting help. If you are experiencing anxiety and not sure what to do, it may be beneficial to read this chapter to assist in your treatment. It is apparent that the author’s purpose is for the reader to learn about benefits and restrictions of treatments. This book is definitely an asset to understanding anxiety and its medications.

Let me begin by saying I’m a health professional. So I read this book to understand more about my patients and about what they might be reading. As Dr. Mendelson immediately points out, anxiety is a disorder. A little anxiety can be a good thing. A lot of anxiety can be a bad thing. Anyone with anxiety knows that. This book addresses all aspects of anxiety from defining it to treating it. Dr. Mendelson begins with a good introduction and background on anxiety and some of its variants like panic disorders or phobias. Just reading chapter 1 gave me a great introduction to what anxiety really is. And then he gets right to question that is on everyone’s mind. If one has anxiety, how should it best be treated? Dr. Mendelson begins with a lesson on how drugs work in the brain. This was very helpful as I always want to know how things work. This is followed by a chapter on the history of anti-anxiety medications, that is, what was used in the olden days, including how some were discovered accidently (like so often happens) anecdotes of famous people and which of these drugs they abused. For example, did you know that the Rolling Stone song, “Mother’s Little Helper” is about the use and abuse of benzodiazepines? The next few chapters describe the drugs used today to treat anxiety, both those well tested and approved, and those use “off-label” which Dr. Mendelson describes a drugs that are used for purposes other than those for which they were approved. There is even a chapter on CBD and cannabis and the pros and cons of using them. All in all, this is a comprehensive book that is easy to read and to understand. Patients with anxiety, people that just want to learn about anxiety and health professionals who interact with patients with anxiety will all find this book very educational and helpful.

Summary: Understanding Medicines For Anxiety is a brief educational study of anxiety and the medications used to treat it. In this book, Mendelson explains: the definition of anxiety, the list of medications, how the compounds work, adverse reactions, history of anxiety medicines, and other treatments used. The last chapter helps a person with anxiety decide a course of action. This includes questions to ask, how to create a plan, and goals. My Thoughts: Reasons why I gave Understanding Medicines For Anxiety an excellent review. •A quick read that explains in terms that are understandable. •The list of medications are given, how they work, and adverse reactions they may have. •Medications used for one thing, but doctors have learned they treat something else. For example: Quetiapine is a antipsychotic drug that can also be used for anxiety or to help a person sleep. •An explanation of the different types of anxiety disorders. •Bold print in an easy to read type font size. I believe it is 12 point. •Clinical studies are explained for medications. •Medical marijuana and CBD use for anxiety. How they work, what studies show, and side effects. •This book addresses anxiety, but depression is often included. •20 black and white, and color illustrations are used. •How the drug compound works in the brain. •The history of drugs used for anxiety in the 19th and 20th centuries, and how they began to be abused. Understanding Medicines For Anxiety is an excellent tool for a person who has anxiety or has a loved one with anxiety. Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author, Wallace B. Mendelson, MD., but was not required to leave a favorable review.

In this book, Dr. Mendelson offers a very thoughtful and in depth review of what is a common condition and a challenging subject: anxiety disorders and their treatment. He starts by describing the different types of anxiety disorders, and then he moves to a comprehensive review of different treatment methods, including medications, psychotherapies and other less commonly utilized approaches. He does a great job of discussing the pros and cons of each option. He weaves it all together with interesting tidbits of history and cultural references. I believe even mental health providers who are well versed in the subject will find this book useful in crystallizing their perspective on the treatment of anxiety disorders. They will also find it useful as a guide to speaking to their patients about the treatment of anxiety in easily understandable language. This book is an excellent resource to both the general population and healthcare providers alike. Dr. Mendelson has a unique talent for distilling complex subjects in a concise and understandable way without sacrificing accuracy or depth. As a mental health professional, I highly recommend “Understanding Medicines for Anxiety” to colleagues and patients alike.

I'm a big fan of Dr. Mendelson, having read his previous works on antidepressants and sleeping pills. This book focuses on medications used to treat the various anxiety disorders. Dr. Mendelson pulls off an impressive feat with this book. It is concise (around 100 pages), informative and a comprehensive overview of anxiety medications. What I also like is the historical background he provides about how the medication options have increased, evolved and greatly improved since the first ones were introduced long ago. He includes several interesting pictures, tables and anecdotes to illustrate the concepts. I'm very glad he also discusses psychotherapy options for treating anxiety. Additionally of interest is the brief section on medical marijuana and CBD. As with his previous books, this will be of interest to health care providers, students in health care fields and the general public. There is quite a bit of technical medical terminology which may slow you down a bit, but the information is ultimately very useful and important. Dr. Mendelson is a great teacher, so please check out all of his books!