The Power of Prednisone Prednisone is the medication I rely on when I experience autoimmune attacks. These attacks can be brutal; sometimes the pain is so severe it sends me to the hospital. Other times, the flare-ups are moderate—meaning I am in intense pain and completely immobilized, but not quite sick enough for the emergency room. When this happens, I usually start taking five or six prednisone pills a day. If I only need them for two or three days, I can stop safely, but if I take them for a week, I have to slowly wean down the dosage. Usually, within a few days, my physical symptoms ease and I begin to regain my movement. That is the incredible physical power of prednisone. However, this medication holds a second, much darker power: it severely impacts my mental health. Under its influence, I become deeply sad, depressed, and agitated, feeling as though nothing is worth it. It completely shifts my perspective, stripping away my ability to feel good about anything, and it...