"hi all, i&#039;m a 26-year-old african american woman and i&#039;m so glad that i found effexor (venlafaxine, for me) because it has really helped me manage my anxiety and depression. it&#039;s not common to talk about medication in the black community so if you&#039;re reading this and think that the drug might help you - just give it a try! my therapist said that effexor really tends to help young women. i have been on the drug for 16 months and went from 75 mg to 150mg. i just checked in with my prescribing psychiatrist today and i figured i would take some time to write reviews for people who haven&#039;t made the jump to medication. i also use beating the blues cbt online tool - it&#039;s free at my job! the combination, plus eating healthy and working out, works!"