But even drugged to the gills, I remained filled with…
““But even drugged to the gills, I remained filled with dread about the impending book tour, so I went also to a young but highly regarded Stanford-trained psychologist who specialized in cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. “First thing we’ve got to do,” she said in one of my early sessions with her, “is to get you off these drugs.” A few sessions later, she offered to take my Xanax from me and lock it in a drawer in her desk. She opened the drawer to show me the bottles deposited there by some of her other patients, holding one up and shaking it for effect. The drugs, she said, were a crutch that prevented me from truly experiencing and thereby confronting my anxiety; if I didn’t expose myself to the raw experience of anxiety, I would never learn that I could cope with it on my own.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Anxiety must be faced directly rather than numbed by medication, allowing personal coping skills to develop.
In simple terms: Face anxiety without drugs to learn coping.
Key Takeaway
Confront fear, build resilience.
Themes
mental health
anxiety
self‑reliance
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
advice
personal narrative
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- public speaking preparation
- personal crisis
- medication tapering
Key Concepts
cognitive behavioral therapy
exposure therapy
psychological resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you safely confront anxiety without medication?
- What support systems help during exposure?
A Different Perspective
Medication may mask symptoms but can also be essential for safety in severe cases.