MENTAL ILLNESS AND MEDICATION

mikebuss | 15/01/2016 | 0 Comments More

Medication for Mental Health

Mental Illness and Medication

Many people with mental illnesses choose to use a medication to ease their symptoms. Your doctor or therapist will help you to select the right medication for your illness and circumstances, if you decide to use a medication at all. In my experience, this is a process which can take a good amount of time. Here are just a few things to consider when weighing taking medication for your mental illness.

I cannot recommend any particular treatment because everyone’s body is different, so a drug that works perfectly well for one person may not work at all for another. For example, I have a relative that uses a particular medication with great success. However, while this medication treated my depressive moods, it sent my manic moods into overdrive. While that sounds good, having a ton of energy all the time, it wasn’t a positive thing. I’ll talk more about that in another post.

Any drug you try can take up to a month or more to become fully effective, and no matter what drug you try, it will probably have side effects, at least at first. In my experience, these side effects may lessen over time.When deciding whether or not to take a particular medication, take into account such things as whether the side effects might affect your work or business performance. Some common side effects include (but are not limited to): weight changes, sexual dysfunction, headaches, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, and so on. (A great article about common side effects can be found here https://cpnp.org/sites/default/files/shared/2012/Psychiatric_Medications_Side_Effects.pdf)

HOWEVER, does the fact that your medication of choice has or may have side effects mean you should stay away from medication completely? Maybe. Honestly that is something that your doctor and you should decide. There are other ways of treating mental illness besides taking medication, and you should check into them and discuss them with your doctor.

For me, it was a delicate balance between what side effects I could put up with to reap the benefits of the medication. After much trial-and -error, I settled on a medication that helps me manage my moods, while causing the least side effects possible. (A really great article about the pros and cons of taking medication can be found here http://www.goodtherapy.org/drugs/psychotropic-medication.html)

There are so many kinds of drugs available to treat most mental illnesses, so if one doesn’t work for you, you can try another. (For a list of some of the most common drugs to treat some of the most common mental illnesses, click http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/medications-treat-disorders)

Another unpleasant aspect to medication can be the cost. Newer drugs that do not have a generic yet can be quite pricey. However, there are many drugs that have generics that are quite affordable. Work with your doctor to choose the right one for you, and let your doctor know if price is a factor for you to consider.

Keep in mind that all medications have the potential to react badly to other medications and supplements you might be taking, whether prescription or over-the-counter! For instance, I cannot take ibuprofen or acetaminophen because of the drug interactions with a medication I take. Your doctor or pharmacist should be able to let you know which drugs and supplements are safe to take with your medication and which are not.

I recommend talking to your doctor or therapist about all possible treatment options, including medication, as well as doing your own research, before making your decision. But I hope this quick overview of things to keep in mind when choosing whether or not to take a medication has proved helpful.

Thank you for reading, I hope it helps! As always, I love to hear from you in the comments, so comment away!

Disclaimer: I am NOT a medical professional. Any advice is given from my own experience with and research on medication, but should NOT be used as the final deciding factor on whether or not medication is right for you. YOU MUST TALK TO YOU DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENTS OR PRESCRIPTIONS FOR YOUR MENTAL ILLNESS, AND YOU MUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY TREATMENTS OR PRESCRIPTIONS THEY GIVE YOU.

By Megan Ernspiker

Twitter: @Miss_Meggie_E