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Recovering from Addiction to Prescription Medications

I never thought of myself as an addict, but I did end up addicted to anti-anxiety medication after developing Generalized Anxiety Disorder. At some point, the medicine stopped being a way to deal with the nervousness and panic attacks, and became something my body craved. I knew that I needed help fast. Fortunately, a local drug rehab program includes support for people like me. They helped me wean off the medication, use methods like massage therapy to help my nerves heal, and even provided ongoing counseling for our family. I don't know how I would have made it without their help. If you suspect that your medication has crossed the line from being helpful to hurtful, take heart. Let me tell you about my journey out of addiction and back to wholeness.

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Recovering from Addiction to Prescription Medications

Four Tips For Improving Your Communication With Your Primary Care Physician

by Valerie Stevens

Being able to communicate efficiently with your primary care physician is the key to staying healthy. However, not many people have the best communication with their physician. Here are four tips to help improve it:

  1. Write Down Concerns: When you go to your doctor's appointment, chances are you are going to forget some of the concerns you originally wanted to bring up. This is because it seems a bit chaotic sometimes when you are rushing out of the house, talking to the receptionist about your appointment and waiting in the waiting room with other patients. When you write down your concerns, you can be sure that everything is checked out and explained so that you are comfortable with your health and making changes where it is suggested by your physician. 
  2. Be Honest: Too often, people will lie to their physicians about what medications they are taking and what kind of activities they are engaging in. The problem with this is it makes it difficult for your doctor to know what concerns are serious or not. For example, if you have multiple sexual partners and your doctor asks about this, it's important to be honest so that they know whether or not there should be a concern about possible STDs or other problems. You should also be honest about whether or not you are taking the medications you are supposed to be taking. This way, your doctor can make adjustments if necessary. 
  3. Ask Questions: When you have questions, don't be afraid to ask them. When you don't speak up, it can be difficult to know how to take care of yourself given certain diagnoses. This is going to make your health situation stressful and confusing, resulting in your lack of interest in visiting your doctor and keeping up with your health. So if you are unclear about anything, then be sure you ask to make the situation less confusing and more straight-forward. 
  4. Change Physicians if Needed: If you feel you are doing all of the above things, but you are still unhappy with how things are communicated to you, then don't be afraid to switch doctors. Remember that your doctor makes a huge difference in your overall health. When you have a doctor you can connect with and have good communication with, you can be sure that you are happy with your health and lifestyle. 

When you consider these four tips, taking control of your health can be easy. 

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