As a social worker and therapist, I often sit with people navigating pain, discomfort, and the overwhelming nature of everyday life. In these conversations, one theme that surfaces again and again is the temptation of the quick fix—most commonly, a fast track to relief through medication.
Let me be clear: medication has its place. For many, it is essential. For some, it is lifesaving. But we are doing our communities a disservice when we promote or normalize medicating basic human processes—grief, boredom, restlessness, or the natural anxiety of facing the unknown.
The Case for Self-Management
The concept of self-management is not about gritting your teeth through suffering or denying oneself support. It’s about steering your own ship—developing tools, awareness, and inner practices that help you navigate stressors without over-relying on external solutions. It’s about learning how to adjust the sail, not just waiting for someone to fix the weather.
This kind of internal resilience is built through:
- Mindful reflection
- Somatic awareness
- Practical coping strategies
- Supportive relationships
- Gentle, compassionate accountability
When we over-medicalize emotional discomfort, we risk dulling the very systems that help us grow and adapt. We miss out on the rich, textured experience of being alive—the full spectrum of feelings that, while sometimes uncomfortable, are crucial to our humanity.
Dampened Distress Tolerance
When we skip the process of working through emotions, we don’t eliminate them—we bury them. And buried emotions have a way of resurfacing. By numbing or avoiding the discomfort of routine life challenges, we reduce our distress tolerance, and in turn, our capacity to calmly meet the ups and downs of daily life.
Over time, this can make life feel harder—less vibrant, less coherent, and less manageable. Ironically, what was meant to help us cope can lead us to feel even less in control.
A Healthier Belief System
We need to shift the narrative. Instead of telling people that there’s a pill for every pang, we must promote belief systems that recognize the value of staying with discomfort, of moving through it with presence and support. We can champion growth over avoidance, awareness over suppression, and strength over sedation.
This doesn’t mean shame for those who use medication—it means creating a culture that treats it as one tool among many, not the only one or the first one.
Closing Thought
Life is not meant to be perfectly comfortable. It’s meant to be meaningful. Let’s help each other find the courage to face it with clarity, tools, and heart—not just prescriptions. 🌟
Max E. Guttman is the owner of Mindful Living LCSW, PLLC, a private mental health practice in Yonkers, New York.
