Today I want to ask, what do you do when feeling down? Life doesn’t always run smoothly and at some point in your life you will probably become overwhelmed, depressed or even angry despite your best efforts.

Many people turn to a countless number of addictions like shopping (yeah, it acts just like any other addiction people), drinking, smoking and sex. And we all know those end in disaster!

However, in today’s society there is another quick fix. For a lot of life’s problems, there is now a pill for that. 1 out of 10 Americans age 12 and older are taking antidepressants. However, less than 20% of those people seek professional therapy or counseling.

Oh, you’re stressed out? Here’s a pill. Oh you’re depressed, here you go. We turn to drugs as an easy fix for the issues that we don’t want to deal with!

Antidepressants, valium and ADHD medications are now being called the emotional equivalent of plastic surgery. Only the side effects are worse for you in the long run. Here’s why.

And it isn’t just about the listed side effects on your pill bottle (although some of those are equally as disturbing). The big problem is that quick fixing your life with pills is not a true solution. It doesn’t teach you anything. It doesn’t help you work through the problem.

In fact in most cases it just postpones the root of your issues! You are just treating the symptoms of a much bigger problem. Medications will numb you out and make you blind to problems that in reality, you just need to face!

When you are numbed out on medications it affects your relationships, your ability to make decisions and your desire to succeed. You might think the mental break is nice, until the next thing you know a decade has gone by and you’re still “fighting” anxiety.

A man without a vision will perish. These pills steal your vision!

I’m not saying all prescriptions are bad, but NYU studies show that 1 in 4 cases of depression are misdiagnosed. Maybe I just need to be the one to prescribe a different medication for you. Try one these before running off for your easy fix:

1. Journaling. I realize not all of you hold the same beliefs I do, but spending time increasing my spiritual well-being has huge benefits. I’m proof of that. Whether it was talking to God, praying, or reading my Bible I am constantly finding new insights, encouragements and life lessons! Growing up in an abusive home, my faith was the only thing that got me through at times. But no matter what you believe in, having some alone time to clear your head (or some one-on-one time with whom you believe), journal, and get to the root of yours issues will always yield endless fruit in your spiritual and mental health. So whatever it is on your brain – write it down! Form that vision for your life in writing and think about what specifically might be holding you back from achieving that vision.
2. Lean on people. Do you have a spouse or a best friend that has known you for a while? It is okay to ask for help, even if it is emotional. The biggest benefit to having deep, caring relationships is that you have people there to support you and talk you through life’s hardest obstacles! If you don’t have these types of relationships, it is probably time to work on that! Caring relationships are a two way street, meaning you have to be there for others as well. Think about people in your life that you wrote off because they were going through hard times(I don’t want to call her, all she does is cry about her ex husband). You may have just missed a great opportunity to form a real, unconditional friendship.
3. Find a mentor. Look for someone who has been through what you are going through! Seek guidance! In business I tell people to find someone who has what you want and do what they do. It’s the same principal for your emotional life as well. Back when Hans and I were on the verge of divorce, we searched for and found an older couple to counsel and mentor us. They had seen it all! Not only were they there to support us through tough times, but they were living proof that there was a way past it all.

Listen, I am for you. And I am for your success! And I truly believe that all of the insta-prescriptions doctors hand out like candy will not only keep you from success. Wouldn’t it be great if you weren’t another statistic? Wouldn’t it be even better if you could stop a loved one or your own child from becoming one of those statistics?

Hey, let’s connect on the radio this Sunday for The Dani Johnson Show at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. I’m so excited to talk to you and this wonderful community of people!

In great faith,

P.S. Like what you read here? Just hit the “like” button at the top of the page! That will help your Facebook friends find this content!