Peace Quote by Robert Whitaker
““The cocktail she took usually included a mood stabilizer, an antidepressant, and a benzodiazepine for anxiety, although the exact combination was always changing. One drug would make her sleepy, another would give her tremors, and none of the cocktails seemed to bring her emotional tranquility. Then, in 2001, she was put on an anti-psychotic, Zyprexa, which, in a sense, worked like a charm. "You know what?" she says today, amazed by what she is about to confess. "I loved the stuff. I felt like I finally found the answer. Because what do you know. I have no emotions. It was great. I wasn't crying anymore.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Anatomy of an Epidemic, Robert Whitaker, 2010
She recounts a history of changing psychiatric meds, ending with a drug that numbed her emotions, leading to a feeling of relief from distress.
In simple terms: She found a medication that stopped her feeling emotions, ending her distress.
Consider the emotional cost of medication.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- psychiatric treatment
- patient consent
- risk assessment
- emotional well‑being
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Is emotional numbness a fair trade for relief?
- How can we balance symptom control with emotional health?
Medication may suppress symptoms but also diminish emotional richness.