Does being afraid of something stop you dead in your tracks — like you just can’t take another step forward? I get that. I’ve felt it a thousand times.
Hi — I’m David from Life With Parkinson’s. If you’re new here, welcome. And if you’re a regular, thank you for being here. A quick note before we begin: I’m not a doctor. I’m not telling you to jump up and follow my Parkinson’s treatment plan. Make your own decisions. If you’re unsure, seek professional medical advice.
In this post I want to talk about three things that I believe cause fear and keep people with Parkinson’s from trying natural remedies. These are not abstract worries — they’re real, practical roadblocks I’ve run into myself. I’ll share stories, what I learned, and some small, sensible ways to move forward without wrecking your bank account, your health, or your peace of mind.
Why fear matters
Fear is useful in many parts of life — it keeps us from stepping in front of a moving car, it warns us when something is unsafe. With Parkinson’s, though, fear can become an unnecessary barrier. It can make us suspicious of useful options, make us chase every new “miracle” in a panic, or push us into desperate choices that do more harm than good.
Over the years I’ve seen three common fears show up again and again in the Parkinson’s community:
- The fear of being scammed.
- The fear of missing out.
- The fear that fuels desperation.
Each of these fears nudges us in different directions. Together they can trap us in inaction, or lead us to waste time, money and energy on the wrong things.
1) The fear of being scammed — why it’s real and how it starts
Let me start with a memory. In my early twenties chlorophyll drinks were everywhere. The green-drink craze. I was working in a pulp mill in Squamish — the power boiler section — pulling grates and ash every morning. Not the cleanest air. Chlorophyll was sold as something that would help oxygen levels and blood. I tried it. When I stopped working that job I could barely tell the difference. That planted a little seed: was I being scammed?
That seed grew. Over the years you see so much marketing — glitter, promises, stories — and you get cautious. I remember a recent time at a job when a guy I’d had a good conversation with came back later with medical patches and claims about inflammation and healing. The patches were expensive and the whole thing felt slimy. I told him no. Walked away. The experience reinforced something I now rely on: if it looks like a scam, smells like a scam, it probably is.
That doesn’t mean there’s no value in natural remedies. Far from it. But scams exist, and they prey on a simple human truth: when you’re hurting, hopeful and looking for answers, you’re an easy target.
How this fear shows up in real life
- You get aggressive marketing in your inbox and on social media.
- You hear wild claims with no real evidence.
- You’re offered expensive gadgets or supplements with big promises and tiny scientific backing.
- You feel pressure from acquaintances or sales reps who seem more interested in your money than your health.
How I learned to handle it
- I research thoroughly. Not just reviews on the product site — I look for independent commentary, any clinical evidence, and user reports that seem credible.
- I start small. If I test something, I try a short, low-cost trial rather than buying the entire kit.
- I involve a trusted clinician when a remedy could interact with meds. That advice has prevented more headaches than I can count.
I’ll be honest: I’ve tried a lot of things on myself. I’ve self-experimented. Sometimes that’s how you learn. But I’m older and more cautious now — I don’t want to be the Beaker in a mad scientist skit getting zapped. The wrong experiment can hurt. When a vibration device was set incorrectly, it triggered what we now call “jaw attacks” — intense clenching where breathing becomes hard. That was terrifying. I don’t recommend reckless self-experimentation. If you do try something, do it carefully and slowly.
2) The fear of missing out — why “so-and-so is doing great” trips people up
This fear is subtle. You see someone who’s “doing better.” They’re smiling more, moving easier, or they say a supplement worked wonders. Immediately you want in. “Send me that thing. Where do I get it?” The FOMO is real.
But often the person doing well didn’t just start a single supplement and suddenly become new. They had a combination of things — sleep, exercise, a change in medication, stress reduction, or a missing nutrient filled. They may have been low in vitamin D, iron or something else that was the single missing piece in their “tool belt.” Once they added it, everything clicked. For them.
You go buy the same vitamin and nothing happens. Then you feel foolish. You think the product is a scam. Or worse, you beat yourself up for being the person who “failed” at fixing their own body.
What happens behind the scenes
- Everyone’s biology is different. One person’s missing link won’t automatically be yours.
- People rarely share the full context — the sleep changes, the diet, the physiotherapy, the other supplements. You see the shiny result, not the full process.
- FOMO leads to impulse buying — five different supplements at once, zero tracking, zero patience.
Why FOMO harms more than helps
- It wastes money quickly. I’ve spent hundreds chasing things that didn’t move the needle for me.
- It creates confusion. When you try many things at once you can’t tell what helps.
- It amplifies anxiety: “If I don’t do this, I’ll miss the only thing that could help me.”
A better way to handle it
- Build your own tool belt. Take stock of what you do have — diet, meds, sleep, exercise.
- Prioritize one test at a time. If you try vitamin D, document baseline mood, energy and sleep, then reassess in 6–12 weeks.
- Keep costs reasonable. Don’t buy everything at once. Test smartly.
Remember the thirsty person metaphor: sometimes the person needs water, not ten different drinks. Be methodical rather than desperate.
3) The fear that becomes desperation — why panic ruins judgment
When FOMO and scam-fear collide, desperation can follow. That’s when people make unwise choices. Desperation is the most dangerous emotion because it makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do — overbuying, overdosing, ignoring interactions, or trusting the loudest promise rather than the safest route.
Desperation looks like:
- Buying six supplements because one might help.
- Taking very high doses without medical guidance.
- Changing meds or stopping them without clinical oversight.
- Chasing the next “miracle” and losing months, enthusiasm and money.
I’ve had times where my own desperation led me to try a lot of things at once. It was costly and confusing. I eventually had to step back and re-evaluate honestly: what works for me, what broke me, and what was neutral?
How to avoid desperation
- Keep the basics first: sleep, hydration, diet, medication adherence and gentle exercise. Those are the pillars.
- Use journaling. Track symptoms, diet changes and sleep. Data beats panic.
- Set a financial cap for testing new supplements. Decide: “I will test X for Y weeks and spend no more than Z.”
- Involve your care team. Tell them what you’re trying. Ask about interactions.
Desperation steals clarity. Keep a steady head.
A note about scientific evidence (and why natural remedies get overlooked)
There’s another structural reason fear exists: the research pipeline. Modern pharmaceutical research is driven by the ability to patent and monetize a compound. Natural substances found in food or plants can’t be patented the same way, so the incentive to fund large, expensive trials is lower. That doesn’t mean these remedies are useless — it means research is often limited, fragmented or funded by smaller groups.
That gap leaves a vacuum where stories, hype, and sales pitches fill the air. It’s messy. I believe we’ll see a re-focus on natural approaches in future research — but whether that arrives in time for any of us is uncertain. In the meantime, we must balance cautious optimism with critical thinking.
Practical steps I use when considering a natural remedy
These are simple, practical rules that kept me safer and saved money:
- Research before you buy. Look for independent reviews and any clinical literature.
- Test one thing at a time. If you try multiple changes at once, you’ll never know which helped.
- Set a budget and a time window. Try something for a defined period (e.g., 6–8 weeks) and cap how much you’ll spend.
- Keep a symptom log. Note energy, mood, tremor, sleep and any side effects.
- Talk to your clinician. Especially if a remedy could interact with medication.
- Start low, go slow. Small doses first. Give your body time to respond.
- Avoid the “shotgun” approach. Less is often more.
Hope, frustration and the long view
One reason fear persists is frustration. We’re tired of side effects, of broken promises, of drugs that offer marginal benefit and big trade-offs. Sometimes it feels like cures should already be here. There’s anger and weariness — and that makes anything that looks hopeful feel more attractive.
I still believe nature holds many answers. Many traditional remedies have centuries of use and sensible mechanisms. The problem is that evidence is patchy, funding is skewed, and marketing can be dishonest. Until research catches up, our best posture is careful curiosity: acknowledge hope, but test methodically.
Final thoughts — what I’d tell my younger self
If I could talk to my younger self in the pulp mill drinking chlorophyll, here’s what I would say:
- Be curious — but be skeptical in a helpful way.
- Test things with a plan, not with panic.
- Don’t lose your savings chasing the next bright object.
- Involve your clinician and the people who love you.
Fear is natural. Let it make you cautious, not paralyzed. Let it prompt questions, not frantic buying. And when something looks promising, treat it like a detective case: gather evidence, test fairly, and keep an eye on safety.
Thank you for reading and for walking this path with me. If you’ve had experiences with natural remedies — good or bad — please share them. We learn faster together than alone.
Caregiver note
If you care for someone living with Parkinson’s, your observations are incredibly valuable. Watch for symptom patterns when new supplements are tried, help track timing and side effects, and keep emergency contact info handy. Your steady presence often protects against rash decisions when desperation rises.
Medical disclaimer
I’m not a medical professional. Everything here is personal experience and opinion. This is not medical advice. Before starting, stopping or changing any treatment — natural or pharmaceutical — discuss it with your doctor or specialist.
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