This is my fourth attempt at writing this blog. The other three sit in my draft folder — perhaps to be finished another day. Each time I'd start writing with a simple concept in mind, then I look back and I have this half-completed novella on a completely different topic. And I don't know where to go from there. And I try again. Not this time. I'm just going to write. Whatever I come up with is what I will release. No re-writing. Maybe just add a few graphics at the end to gi

Video of my conversation on Angela Peacock's channel is now available. Please check it out.

As part of her lived-experience series, D E Foster will join Angela Peacock on her podcast tomorrow, June 9th.

Take a 30 minute break today, and reset yourself.

Delilah backs out of the driveway and waves goodbye to her parents. High school is over, the goodbyes have ended, and the only thing that stands between her and college is a five hour drive. She now has some free time. Plenty of time. Too much time. Radio is her only distraction, but it's not enough. And the thoughts begin. So many new people. So many new experiences. So many new fears. The "what if" scenarios cycle in her head like a military drill. What if she chose the wro

A recent article in Forbes Health discusses medication classes commonly prescribed for anxiety. As with so many articles on benzodiazepines and antidepressants, this one includes some valuable information — but it also falls far short when it comes to dependence and withdrawal. In the May 18th Forbes Health article, "Anxiety Medication: Types and Side Effects," contributing author Becca Stanek explores four classes of psychiatric medication. These are selective serotonin reu

I have to confess something right here from the start. I've let myself go. It's so easy to talk the good talk on a blog or podcast. But, to also put those suggestions into practice and maintain them for years — that is where I have fallen short. The past few years of my life have been extreme, and during that time I lost focus of what got me through my recovery from anxiety medication (benzodiazepines). I was so focused on caring for my parents in another state, that I neglec

A recent article in Pharmacy Times highlights the concern of benzodiazepine use in medical settings, especially with older adults. In a May 11 article by Richard P. Dutton, MD, the author states that "minimizing unnecessary benzodiazepine use has become an important principle for patients and anesthesiologists hoping to have the clearest, quickest emergence from anesthesia, with the lowest risk for delirium or any other cognitive dysfunction." Alternatives for treating anxiet

According to a recently updated article in AARP, antianxiety drugs (benzodiazepines) top the list of memory-robbing medications. Benzodiazepines include drugs such as alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin), and many others. In the article, Dr. Armon B. Neel, Jr. stated that "benzodiazepines dampen activity in key parts of the brain, including those involved with the transfer of events from short-term to long-term memory." He cautioned