Someone who knows of my obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD, suggested that I try an herbal supplement called Gaba to help reduce anxiety. I had suffered some harsh side effects from Zoloft, and figured that there wouldn’t be any harm in trying something that was not made by the big pharmaceutical companies.
I recalled the first time I tried Gaba was right before a doctor’s visit. Normally I become extremely anxious in the waiting room, and there is little that can calm me down. Well, that day of the appointment, I drove to the clinic with the usual trepidation, and upon arrival, walked over to the reception desk to sign in, and then took a seat. There weren’t that many people in the waiting room, and this was a good thing. I remember actually sitting there waiting for the usual reactions to kick in – sweaty palms, increased heart rate. Nothing happened. I remained calm, and was truly amazed, to the point that I thought I had discovered a miracle pill.
Gaba did not turn out to be a miracle pill. It was never able to control any OCD episodes, but I knew that. It could however take the edge off, and there were no miserable side effects. It is calming, but in my case I discovered that I have to take it before I think I will enter into circumstances that might trigger an OCD episode. I don’t know about others, but I am aware of situations that will lead to OCD actions. If I take the Gaba in the middle of an episode, it doesn’t do much good. Like I said, this is a pill that can take the edge off, and not much beyond that. But it is certainly much better than nothing. That has been my experience.
I know of other people who have taken Gaba in order to feel calm in certain situations, and they have all liked it.
For me it has been frightening to experiment with varying dosages of Zoloft. And I do not know of the long term effects of Zoloft. I still have yet to try that other pill that my psychiatrist recommended. So for now I will stick to Gaba, when I think I need it. It has proven valuable.
The road to recovery takes many twists and turns.