Anxiety disorders are common, affecting nearly 30 percent of adults in the U.S. at some point in their lives and as many as 5.6 million kids.1, 2 When it comes to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is characterized by excessive worry for longer than six months, studies show that only 43.2% of people receive treatment.3 One of the most common treatments is prescription medication, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft).
Though helpful for many, SSRIs are associated with a range of side effects, including drowsiness, nervousness, headaches, weight gain, and dependency, leading some to search for suitable alternatives. Whether you’re on SSRIs or thinking of trying them, explore how they work, how they compare to homeopathic medication like Brillia, and how to decide which is best for you.
Anxiety Disorders: Causes, Types, Symptoms, and How to Find Relief
While it’s normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially during stressful life events, anxiety can become a bigger problem when it is ongoing and starts to interfere with your everyday life, work, and relationships. In these cases, an anxiety disorder may be at fault.
Both children and adults can be diagnosed with generalized anxiety or another specific type of anxiety disorder. Causes and risk factors include genetics, differences in brain chemistry, personality, how threats are perceived, and a history of traumatic experiences.4
Signs and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include:
- Persistent worry and rumination
- Obsessing about worst-case scenarios
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Trembling and excessive sweating
- Upset stomach
- Muscle tension and aches
- Restlessness
- Poor concentration
- Irritability
- Being easily startled
Other types of anxiety disorders include:
- Social anxiety disorder: Characterized by an excessive fear of judgment and avoidance of social situations.
- Obsessive compulsive disorder: A compulsion to perform certain behaviors or having uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts.
- Panic disorder: A disorder in which you regularly and unexpectedly have panic attacks, a sudden wave of fear or discomfort or a sense of losing control, even when there is no obvious danger or trigger.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Characterized by intense nightmares, flashbacks and psychiatric symptoms, typically triggered by a traumatic event.
- Phobias: An excessive and irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
- Separation anxiety disorder: A childhood disorder characterized by excessive fear related to separation from parents or caregivers.
- Substance-induced anxiety disorder: Symptoms of intense anxiety or panic triggered by the use of drugs, medications, exposure to a toxic substance, or withdrawal from drugs.
What are SSRIs?
SSRIs treat depression and anxiety by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is often referred to as a “happy hormone.” In addition to being a mood stabilizer, it also plays a crucial role in our sleeping, eating, and digestive processes.
All SSRIs are thought to work in a similar way, by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin into neurons. This process makes more serotonin available to improve transmission of messages between neurons. Though SSRIs have been used since the 1970s, researchers are still sure exactly why they alleviate anxiety and symptoms of depression.5
Despite not knowing how SSRIs work, they do have a high success rate in treating anxiety disorders.6 However, for some users the side effects associated with these drugs persist or worsen over time, especially when dosages are increased to maintain efficacy. For these reasons, it can be helpful to consider over the counter medicine for anxiety and depression.
SSRI Side Effects
Though they are better tolerated than some other antidepressants, SSRIs are associated with a number of side effects. These include:
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Headaches
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Personality changes
- Insomnia
- Nervousness, agitation or restlessness
- Dizziness
- Sexual problems, such as reduced sexual desire, difficulty reaching orgasm or inability to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)
- Impact on appetite, leading to weight loss or weight gain
- Withdrawal symptoms
Improve focus and clarity.What is Brillia?
Brillia is a non-prescription homeopathic medication that offers a gentle and impactful approach to reducing anxiety without harsh, synthetic chemicals or harmful side effects. The active ingredient in Brillia consists of antibodies to the brain-specific S100 protein (S100B), which plays a crucial role in various intracellular and extracellular brain processes, including mood stabilization. Studies show that anxiety and depression may stem from an imbalance of this protein. Brillia works by targeting and regulating the activity of the S100B protein, consequently reducing symptoms of anxiety while normalizing the level of monoamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin) in different parts of the brain.
This allows Brillia to promote calmness and clarity in a gentle yet extremely targeted manner without affecting any other systems in the body.
Another factor about Brillia is that it is part of a holistic approach, which promotes healthy lifestyle changes as an integral part of its success. This includes proper nutrition, adequate sleep, controlled screen time, and mindfulness in combination with taking Brillia. All of these lifestyle factors have been proven in numerous studies to help reduce stress, anxiety, and irritability, whether you’re taking medication or not. Called the 5 Pillars, these lifestyle habits are essential for effective, lasting change.
Brillia Side Effects
Clinical studies have proven Brillia’s safety and efficacy. The medication does not cause any harmful side effects or alter the blood chemistry in any way. Brillia is also free from artificial colors, artificial flavors, nuts, and gluten. However, if you are sensitive to lactose, please be aware that the medication does contain lactose. Brillia offers a money back guarantee for first-time buyers (*Some restrictions apply.), so feel free to try the medication first to see if it agrees with you.
Are SSRIs or Brillia More Effective?
Each person will respond differently to various types of treatment. While SSRIs may work for one person without side effects, these side effects may be unavoidable and persistent in others. And for some, the benefits of prescription medication like an SSRI can outweigh the side effects that usually come with taking them. Finding the right plan for you may involve combining a number of efforts.
While Brillia is incredibly effective on its own for many users, one unique aspect about the medication is that it has no contraindications. This means it can be added to your regimen without worry, even if you are already taking other medications. So, if you feel that using prescription medication is the best choice for you, Brillia can be added to help with some of the symptoms that the prescription medication is not helping or to slow down the progression to an increased dose to avoid side effects down the line.
Feel free to start or stop Brillia at any time because there are also no withdrawal effects associated with the medication. This is another aspect that sets Brillia apart from SSRIs, which carry withdrawal effects like increased anxiety, burning or tingling feelings, confusion, dizziness, headache, or unusual weakness.
Which is Best for You?
Finding the best treatment plan for your symptoms will take time and patience. And what works for one person may not work for another. It’s important to note that while SSRIs and Brillia are helpful in treating anxiety, they are not a cure on their own. But they can help you manage your symptoms while you learn to self-regulate. This is why Brillia relies on its holistic approach, encouraging healthy lifestyle habits to set a foundation for successfully managing anxiety. Additional methods like seeing a therapist,meditating, and having a strong support system are other important ways you can maintain equilibrium and take charge of your mental health. Though we recognize the value in medication like SSRIs, we encourage you to see them as a last resort, after you have tried gentler approaches first, especially if you are considering SSRIs for your child.
What to Ask When Consulting a Professional
You may want to see your doctor if you feel like your anxiety is interfering with your work, academics, relationships, or overall health. If you’ve noticed that you’re self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, or you think your anxiety could be linked to a physical health problem, it’s always best to rule out any other underlying conditions that may be triggering your symptoms.
Though SSRIs are typically the first line of treatment when treating anxiety and depression, they are not the only option. When consulting your doctor, be sure to ask them the following questions:
- Will I experience any side effects when starting the medication?
- How long will side effects last?
- How long do people typically stay on prescription medication like SSRIs?
- What will happen if/when I come off the medication?
- Are there alternative approaches to prescription medication I can try first?
If you’ve been on SSRIs and you’re thinking of switching over to Brillia, we recommend talking to your doctor first before stopping medication so you can transition safely. We also ask that you be patient with results, as it takes around 3-4 weeks for the active ingredient to build up in the system, if not longer. It’s important to be consistent while employing the 5 Pillars to see the best results. One approach is to start Brillia in conjunction with your prescription medications so the active ingredient can build up in the system first and then, under the care of your physician, follow their guidance on how to come off of your prescription medications.
Learn more about how Brillia works and find more resources on managing anxiety at the Brillia(nce) Resource Center.
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References: 1https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics, 2https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2022/03/24/research-update-childrens-anxiety-and-depression-on-the-rise, 3https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20360803, 4https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181684/, 5https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4428540, 6https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23972702
