Antidepressants: The Quick Fix that isn't Fixing Anything

I get absolutely fired up when I hear about kids being prescribed antidepressants or anxiety medications. It’s bad enough that adults are popping them like candy 🍬, but now children are being conditioned to rely on them too?!

Before you lace up your “fighting gloves”, hear me out.

The Real Problem

First, let’s get one thing straight: I’m NOT talking about those with major depressive disorder or severe clinical depression. And yes, there are absolutely situations where medication can be helpful—for a short period. But here’s the issue: people are taking these meds for months, years, even decades, without ever addressing the root causes of their struggles. Instead of being a temporary aid, antidepressants have become a crutch.

For mild depression, slapping a prescription on the problem is like duct-taping a leaky pipe. It doesn’t fix the underlying issue, and over time, the pressure builds until something bursts.

The Laundry List of Side Effects

And let’s talk about those so-called “side effects” (aka additional problems no one signed up for). Just look at this list of potential issues caused by antidepressants:

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Headaches, dry mouth, weight gain
• Increased anxiety (ironic, right?), nervousness, restlessness
• Sleep difficulties, nightmares, fatigue
• Loss of appetite, dizziness, constipation, blurred vision
• Heart rhythm abnormalities, nutrient depletion, liver damage
• Hallucinations and—oh yeah—suicidal thoughts 😳😡
• 
  

Do you really want to deal with any of this when you’re already feeling awful? This is where I get mad.

My Personal Firestarter 🔥

Why am I so passionate about this? Because I almost lost my own daughter.

After a 20-minute conversation with a clinical psychiatrist, she was handed a prescription for an antidepressant that caused severe suicidal thoughts. That is NOT okay! That is NOT real help!

How many more lives have to be put at risk before we start looking at real, sustainable solutions?

Let’s Talk About the Basics

Before reaching for a prescription, let’s take a step back and assess what’s really going on. If you or someone you love is feeling down, ask these questions first:

• What does your diet look like? (Are you fueling your body with whole, nourishing foods or running on ultra-processed junk?)
• How do you start your day? (Mindlessly scrolling and chugging caffeine, or getting fresh air and movement?)
• When did these feelings start? (Was there a trigger? A major life change? A seasonal shift?)
• How is your sleep routine? (Chronic sleep deprivation is a direct highway to anxiety and depression.)

Time to Take Back Our Health

We’ve been sold the idea that mental health is something to be medicated instead of nurtured. And guess what? That benefits Big Pharma, not us. Because let’s be real—these companies aren’t in the business of curing people. They’re in the business of creating lifelong customers.

This is NOT about shaming anyone who is currently taking medication. It’s about empowering people with real, sustainable solutions that actually get to the root of the issue.

It’s time to start asking better questions and taking our health back into our own hands.

Are you with me?