.jpg)
Over the past few years, life has been incredibly challenging, especially after the loss of my mother—one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my life. At the same time, I had been struggling for over 10 years with something else: dependence on medication. After a turbulent period of substance abuse from ages 16 to 18, I became reliant on antidepressants, ADHD medications, and antipsychotics, feeling trapped in my own mind. I tried multiple times to stop the medication, but it seemed impossible, and the information I found online was often discouraging.
The Dream of Freedom: Overcoming Medication Dependence for (From Struggle to Freedom: My Self-healing Journey
Despite these setbacks, I always held onto a quiet hope that I could eventually live medication-free. I started imagining what life would be like without being dependent on those pills. It began with a vision—was it realistic? It seemed almost impossible. I was on antidepressants, a mild antipsychotic, and ADHD medication that kept me in a hyper-focused state. These medications worked together, making it hard to imagine life without them.
Balancing Mental Health and Lifestyle Changes
My anxiety was deeply rooted in past trauma and negative childhood experiences. While the medication helped eliminate my fears, it also made me overly fearless. This, in turn, impacted my ability to assess risks, hindering me in everyday life. The thought of stopping my medication was daunting, but what scared me more was the fear of anxiety itself.
I often wonder why my trauma was never addressed in therapy, and instead, I was given medication as a quick fix. It felt as though I was bound to these medications for life. The challenge to quit seemed overwhelming—but was it worth it?
My Journey to a Life Free From Medication
After my mother passed away, I decided to dedicate my life to helping others struggling with both physical and mental health issues and help them with them self-healing journey. I enrolled in the OERsterk Coach program and became my own test subject. Through a combination of diet and lifestyle changes, I aimed to quit medication entirely. The journey was long and hard, often feeling like an unreachable goal. However, I kept my focus, and eventually, I succeeded.
It took me a full year to stop taking medication and restore balance to my life. Even my doctor found it hard to believe. The journey required immense willpower, but the support from my family—especially my grandmother—was crucial. Healing from medication dependence requires a supportive team, and it’s up to you to choose the people who will support your journey.
The knowledge I gained from the OERsterk program, along with countless hours of research through books and articles, played a huge role in my recovery. Applying this knowledge was essential to achieving lasting mental health.
My Mission: A Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Balance for All
My mission now is to create awareness about medication dependence, especially when it comes to psychotropic drugs. I don’t claim that medication is inherently bad, but it can confine you to your own mind and strip away parts of your identity and emotions.
I also want to bring more attention to people facing mental health challenges. Society often places immense pressure and unrealistic expectations on us, leading to a downward spiral. As someone who has been through it, I want to help others discover their path to recovery, mental balance, and well-being. Mental health is incredibly important!
A New Life of Balance and Freedom
The decision to stop medication and regain control over my life is probably my greatest achievement to date. I hope my story can inspire others and show them that recovery is possible! Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is crucial, as is addressing unresolved trauma and outdated beliefs.
For me, one of the biggest false beliefs was that I wasn’t smart enough, a label placed on me as a child. Like many others, I had to overcome not just my mental health struggles but also the damaging effects of these limiting beliefs.
Sometimes, your mental and physical health is affected by the environment you live in or the people you surround yourself with. Breaking out of this cycle can be tough, but I did it, and now I’m truly living my life. One of my biggest dreams was to travel through Asia once I was free from medication, and that dream has finally come true.
Remember, what you put into your body affects you long-term. I learned this the hard way, battling stress and high blood pressure along the way.
This is only the beginning! My ambition is to keep working on this mission, and maybe one day, I’ll write a book about it. My goal is to help others achieve mental and physical health by sharing my journey of overcoming medication and embracing a balanced, healthy lifestyle.