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Meet Janet Smith, she’s your average day to day person, nothing out of the normal. Like many people of the world, Janet struggles with anxiety. This condition affects every aspect of her life, overthinking practically every action and causing her to stress a lot more easily. Recently, Janet decided to see a professional about her mental health, fearing that physical decline was soon to come. She contacted her primary care doctor with the idea that she’d be recommended to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Only soon would she learn she was wrong…

“What seems to be the issue Ms. Smith? Something about possibly having anxiety?” The doctor questioned Janet, crossing his right leg over his left underneath the desk and interlocking his fingers. After taking a gulp to ease her nervousness Janet answered, 

“U-Uh yes, lately it has been worsening. I’m not sure what to do, and I don’t want it to spiral out of control.” Janet laughed anxiously, her jittery movements made it obvious she was anxious about this visit. Being so caught up about her life, she had never studied about anxiety. She simply just never thought about it, but from what she has heard from the outside world, and the media, she was able to somewhat label her condition as anxiety. Still, the doctor was not too convinced. Leaning forward and slightly squinting his eyes, he’d bombard her with questions once again.

“Ms. Smith have you looked up any symptoms of anxiety that matches your own? If not, how would you claim it as anxiety? Have you considered stress, or perhaps just a lack of rest due to your busy lifestyle?” 

The doctor questioned her, leaning back into his noncommittal/neutral position in his chair. He was far from concerned.

Janet froze, trying to think, but he was correct. 

Well to her at least he was, she had not done any research, and it seemed as if it was nearly her fault that she didn’t know. 

What if she was overreacting? 

Perhaps it was the case that she didn’t have anxiety? 

What an embarrassment, the idea of being wrong swarmed her mind, poking at her like a demon. 

“W-Well not exactly, I have been endlessly tired. Despite being constantly exhausted, I-I have had trouble sleeping too.” Janet tried explaining, but soon turned her eyes from the doctor, instead focusing on the wall behind him. Why would she do that? 

Now he’ll think you are lying! 

Why is she worried about such a possibility? 

She isn’t lying one bit, she’s always told the truth, but this is different. 

A deep hum came from The Doctor, he stood still running different situations through his head (none of them having much to do with solutions for Janet Smith's issue). 

The near silence crept up on Janet, sweat began to run down the insides of her underarms and she began to worry about looking crazy or looking guilty. Guilty of being a faker, a perceived liar and a time waster. 

The uneasiness and general nature of this pressuring inducing position caused her to fidget. Liars fidget. Hiders have something to squirm about. Why did she feel like such a fool?

The Doctor had finally come to a conclusion, “Judging from your daily life, and from your past, you are just exhausted or might have an electrolyte imbalance.” The doctor spoke as he brought out a prescription pad and pen then began to write. 

He handed her the note with a smile, “Here, this is how you’ll change your diet. I’ve seen plenty of patients who've mistaken this problem for anxiety. As for your insomnia, I’m going to prescribe you hydroxyzine. You'll be fine in a week.” He then told her to have a great rest of the day, grabbed some sanitizer from the repository on the sink/counter of the exam room and was gone. 

The smile he gave triggered something within her, maybe it was the uncomfortable position she had just been placed in. Without her or the doctor noticing her true level of distress, Janet began to shake for "no reason". She felt like crying but didn't know why.  

Janet jumped the table, grabbed her bag and headed toward the receptionist's desk to pay.

This impulsive action was only made in order for her to get out as quickly as possible. As she walked out of the clinic, she hoped onlookers mistook her smile to be real. 

Janet returned to her life unchanged.

This time, she had no faith left in the healthcare system . 

She had been twice before, with dismissals from two different doctors. They had cited that maybe it was her lifestyle, maybe she was deficient on b12, and essential mitochondrial element that has to do with energy production in the human body. Maybe she had an overactive nervous system, maybe it was all psychosomatic.

Janet had noticed an unfortunate pattern that physicians were giving next to no thought to her opinion concerning her  treatment plan nor did they bother to explain the purpose of the hydroxyzine that they had prescribed her.

For those of you who would like to know, hydroxyzine is a histamine. It has nothing to do with anti-anxiety, it is a type of tranquilizer, and a weak one at that. It has more to do with allergies than anxiety, and is often given to people with severe allergies and a side effect of it is drowsiness.

Most people given hydroxyzine, see no results. Other cases of hydroxyzine patients have been known to overdose on the medication in hopes that it would really help their anxiety.

Instead, they are rewarded with restless leg syndrome, foggy brain and general anxious jittery uncomfortable feelings. So why are they prescribed this medication in the first place?

Hydroxyzine is a safe alternative to a narcotic for anxiety relief. It's so safe in fact it's pointless. The doctor never explained the use of the medicine. So Janet will have to Google that if she would like to know what it is for, which leaves her open to absorbing misinformation online. So, the next time she goes to the doctor, most likely she will say:

 "I've seen no relief from this hydroxyzine medicine that you gave me, and I need something that works because I cannot function properly." 

To that, most clinicians would say no, flat out, even though Janet has no history of drug abuse, or issues with the law. The clinician that saw her did no testing. He did not order a CBC, or even a blood test to identify the amount of B12 in her system before making that assumption.

These types of behaviors in a clinical setting are dangerous. They are using assumptions to save time, make more money, be more efficient, but at what expense? The life and quality of life of every patient that comes through that office door.

She left unchanged, unfixed, and still heading towards the spiraling descent that anxiety had in store for her. 

This is not only a problem in this fictional situation, but this is a real life problem that many citizens face. This isn’t just for anxiety, but for mental and physical problems that people across the United States tackle daily. 

The job of the healthcare system is to better the people and to aid them in their most dire situations regarding their health. 

For someone whose chosen occupation is to help others, it seems counterproductive. What professional would even consider watching their patients worsen day after day despite paying for care? There is a deficit in the American Healthcare system. Will you help us begin the necessary change? Will you help us help those who have nowhere else to turn and have run out of ideas in which to help themselves?