I hated my anti-anxiety medication.

Years ago, I had my first massive panic attack. It happened early one morning while I was letting Rocket out. Out of nowhere, my body went into full panic mode.

It scared me so badly that Jacquelyn rushed me to the ER.

At the hospital, the recommendation was straightforward: follow up with my doctor and get on anti-anxiety medication.

And I did.

Let me be clear. I’m not anti-medication. I’m not a doctor. Anti-anxiety medication helps a lot of people.

But I personally hated how it made me feel.

Mentally, I didn’t feel like myself.
Physically, I didn’t feel good.
And I dreaded every single dose.

I felt defeated.

Worse than the anxiety was the feeling that I had no control.

That’s what really bothered me. I’ve always been a high-performer. I like being in control of my actions, my decisions, my direction. And suddenly, I felt like anxiety had the steering wheel.

But here’s what changed everything.

I realized anxiety wasn’t something I was completely powerless over.

I had more influence than I thought.

So I talked to my doctor. He made it clear not to stop cold turkey. We created a gradual taper plan, and I followed it carefully and responsibly.

Then I committed to learning how to control my anxiety instead of trying to chemically silence it.

That decision changed my life.

Today, anxiety does not control me.

I control my anxiety.

I feel confident. I feel capable. I perform better. Not because anxiety disappeared forever, but because I built the skill to handle it.

If you’re reading this thinking, “I hate how this makes me feel, but I’m scared to change anything,” I understand that fear.

Talk to your doctor. Explore your options. You’re not weak for wanting to feel like yourself again.

And you may have more control than you realize.

If you’re ready to build real skill around your internal dialogue and anxiety responses, start with the Anxiety Warrior Blueprint. It’s the first step toward taking back control.

If you’re ready to go deeper and truly retrain the way you respond to anxiety, Internal Dialogue Mastery walks you through the exact framework that helped me take control.

Let’s Connect: Reach out to me at Vinnie@LifeCoachVinnie.com or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

About Vinnie Merz:
​Vinnie Merz is a life coach who helps high-performers take control of their anxiety and achieve their goals. With a background in law, real estate, and state government, he has led teams in high-pressure environments while building multiple businesses. After personally navigating severe anxiety and a medication scare, Vinnie now teaches professionals how to retrain their internal dialogue, respond to anxiety with confidence, and build lasting control without feeling powerless.