I was fortunate to meet Dr. Zavodnick when I was 48 years old, I am now 57. I had been a real psychiatric consumer beginning at age 5. At 47, I was still suffering severe anxiety, mixed with bad depression and some hypomania.
I was very fearful about medication. I had previously experienced some pretty bad side effects from most of the medications that were prescribed by other psychiatrists over the years. The side effects from of the medications were more debilitating than my psychiatric illness. A friend of mine from an anxiety support group suggested that I see her ""medicine man"" Dr. Z. I liked Dr. Z right away. He is straight forward/honest and has a GREAT sense of humor. He said that when a person is in therapy for 30 plus years and isn't better, medication is probably necessary. I basically knew that he spoke a truth but I was afraid of ""pills"". Dr. Z. doesn't get gushy, mushy, and give warm and fuzzy pat answers. What was more important was that he understood and worked with my fear. The first medication that I tried worked. I had been in torment for so many years that I felt a ""high"" not having to wake up to another day of obsessing and ruminating. Feeling better was not just because of the right medication, but, because of the doctor who prescribed it. Psychopharmacology is a balance between a science and an art. That is precisely where Dr. Zavodnick's talent lies. I moved to Florida some years ago. The number one psychopharmacologist here, falls a distant third next to Dr. Zavodnick. If you have been in ""brain torment"", give Dr. Z. a try. He saved my life!
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