--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But even drugged to the gills, I remained…" description: "\"“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-trai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/scott-stossel-12031_anxiety_but-even-drugged-to-the-gills-i-remained_2659481.jpg" --- # 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…” quote by Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/scott-stossel-12031_anxiety_but-even-drugged-to-the-gills-i-remained_2659481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/scott-stossel-12031_anxiety_but-even-drugged-to-the-gills-i-remained_2659481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/scott-stossel-12031_anxiety_but-even-drugged-to-the-gills-i-remained_2659481.jpg) > ““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.”” [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) ## 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) ## Related quotes > [“You might think that's selfish of me - and maybe it is - but I am a trained psychologist. 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Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [I spend a good deal of time doing, for anxiety what's known as exposure therapy where basically you're supposed to confront things that cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-robinson/i-spend-a-good-deal-of-time-doing-for-anxiety-what-s-known-as/) [Porter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-robinson/) > [“ Acting in New Ways Social anxiety also has a strong impact on how you act. As explained before, when people experience anxiety they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/acting-in-new-ways-social-anxiety-also-has-a-strong-impact-on-how-you/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [I did not love going out to parties or even get-togethers, really - I went to the movies, which, if you think about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-did-not-love-going-out-to-parties-or-even-get-togethers-really-i/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [You don’t experience anxiety unless you’re attached to a thought that isn’t true for you. It’s that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/you-don-t-experience-anxiety-unless-you-re-attached-to-a-thought-that/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [In my experience, anxiety disorders don't get better on their own, in fact they spread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/in-my-experience-anxiety-disorders-don-t-get-better-on-their-own-in/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [The act of birth is the first experience of anxiety, and thus the source and prototype of the affect of anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-act-of-birth-is-the-first-experience-of-anxiety-and-thus-the/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [If you are having the experience of anxiety, your body is making adrenaline and cortisone, if you are having the experience of tranquility, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-are-having-the-experience-of-anxiety-your-body-is-making/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Even people who have Faith, sometimes experience anxiety, but Faith just helps us to cope with our negative emotions better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jreyes/even-people-who-have-faith-sometimes-experience-anxiety-but-faith/) JREYES > [When I was young, I was just about hard work. But as I got older, I did experience anxiety, doubt, judgment, and it's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/when-i-was-young-i-was-just-about-hard-work-but-as-i-got-older-i-did/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [I had to say to myself, 'I haven't written enough about blackness, yet it's part of my consciousness and my lived experience.' I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-k-smith/i-had-to-say-to-myself-i-haven-t-written-enough-about-blackness-yet/) [Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-k-smith/) > [“The existence of different memory systems explains why you can experience anxiety in a situation without any conscious memory (or understanding) of why the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-m-pittman/the-existence-of-different-memory-systems-explains-why-you-can/) [Catherine M. Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-m-pittman/) ## More by Scott Stossel > [“According to recent epidemiological data, the “lifetime incidence” of anxiety disorder is more than 25 percent—which, if true, means that one in four of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/according-to-recent-epidemiological-data-the-lifetime-incidence-of/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [I wanted to put a human face on anxiety disorders. I thought people who suffer from anxiety might recognize themselves and gain some comfort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/i-wanted-to-put-a-human-face-on-anxiety-disorders-i-thought-people/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [Barbra Streisand developed overwhelming performance anxiety at the height of her career; for 27 years she refused to perform for the general public, appearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/barbra-streisand-developed-overwhelming-performance-anxiety-at-the/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [All the textbooks talk about avoidance as a classic hallmark of anxiety disorder. So you need a therapist who is sympathetic and understanding but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/all-the-textbooks-talk-about-avoidance-as-a-classic-hallmark-of/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [During high school, I would purposely lose tennis and squash matches to escape the agony of anxiety that competitive situations would provoke in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/during-high-school-i-would-purposely-lose-tennis-and-squash-matches/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [“The truth is that anxiety is at once a function of biology and philosophy, body and mind, instinct and reason, personality and culture. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/the-truth-is-that-anxiety-is-at-once-a-function-of-biology-and/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [It's possible that I would have been better suited to being a penguin keeper. Starting out, I thought being a writer would enable me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/it-s-possible-that-i-would-have-been-better-suited-to-being-a-penguin/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [Generally speaking, the anxiety will pass, which is easy for me to say when I'm not in the middle of an anxiety attack. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/generally-speaking-the-anxiety-will-pass-which-is-easy-for-me-to-say/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [I have, since the age of about 2, been a twitchy bundle of phobias, fears, and neuroses. And I have, since the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/i-have-since-the-age-of-about-2-been-a-twitchy-bundle-of-phobias/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [When I was 5 and my sister was 3, we went on a family trip, and she ate cheese off the floor at an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/when-i-was-5-and-my-sister-was-3-we-went-on-a-family-trip-and-she-ate/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [People who suffer from anxiety are very good at hiding it. That can often be a contributor to the anxiety because the gap between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/people-who-suffer-from-anxiety-are-very-good-at-hiding-it-that-can/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [“Studies of the DSM-II found that when two psychiatrists consulted the same patient, they gave the same DSM diagnosis only between 32 and 42…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/studies-of-the-dsm-ii-found-that-when-two-psychiatrists-consulted-the/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [An astonishing portion of my life is built around trying to evade vomiting and preparing for the eventuality that I might.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/an-astonishing-portion-of-my-life-is-built-around-trying-to-evade/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [“Hippocrates, the ancient Greek doctor, concluded in the fourth century B.C. that pathological anxiety was a straightforward biological and medical problem. “If you cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/hippocrates-the-ancient-greek-doctor-concluded-in-the-fourth-century/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [I am living on the razor's edge between success and failure, adulation and humiliation - between justifying my existence and revealing my unworthiness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/i-am-living-on-the-razor-s-edge-between-success-and-failure-adulation/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) [Explore all 56 Scott Stossel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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. 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