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*TW* Medication for treating mental health is still a huge taboo subject, and until 6 months ago I was one of the people who hated taking medication to deal with my issues. I always felt like it made me weak and I was putting these tablets inside of my body for the sake of it. On my good days I felt like myself, but the bad days didn’t go away, and they kept creeping up on me and I’d feel like the worst person in the world. I have been on 5 different types of antidepressants and only now do I feel like these may actually be the ones for me, along with my mood stabiliser medication. It has taken me some guts to go to the doctors in the past to ask for new medications, I was forever convinced they were going to shout at me for stopping taking them, or for needing to try yet another. Luckily for me, with time it got easier and I found a doctor who understood me, and I got referred to the correct people to seek my official diagnosis.
I’ve gone through periods of time where I’ve stopped taking them for a few days but I instantly notice the difference in myself. Sometimes it was done on purpose and other times it was from being forgetful when you have multiple medications to remember it is easy to do, for me the key was purchasing a pill organiser like this one and getting into a pattern where I manage to remember it as part of my night time routine and it has become the same as taking my make up off, brushing my teeth and taking my meds. I feel sad knowing there are people out there that are yet to get the breakthrough with medication, as I myself know that it can be a long complex journey to get the place where I am now and a lot of people refuse to go back after trying a few types as they just seem to make things worse or not do anything at all. I’ve been there myself and I know what it is like.
I spoke to a fellow blogger about her experience to get a wider view of taking medication whilst suffering from mental health issues.
Neve from Life With Neve says:
“I was in a horrible place, I couldn’t eat or sleep or do anything. I’d been going to therapy for at least 6 months and I was still suicidal and self-harming and completely shattered and so I was offered meds. I felt awful when I was first on them but the longer I was on the better I was getting and tbh it was like opening my eyes and seeing everything clearly. I felt like id been in a cloud for years and all of a sudden I had the confidence to go out with my friends and do things alone and I was like a whole new person, the person I had longed to be and work so hard to become. I was on them for 3 years and then I eventually took the step to get off of them and I’ve been truly fab ever since. So many people say that they don’t believe in them etc etc but I literally would not be here today or happy or anything without my doctor put me on them! I watched some of my friends go through the same situations one even being placed on a ward and medication literally helped turn her life around too. I mean I always feel silly saying that I’d not be here without being on my medication but tbh it’s true! And it’s really right what they say when you start them haha you deffo feel worse before you feel better!”
I also spoke to another blogger Ida who does not like to take any medication for mental health due to the number of side effects she has had and also has tried many types of different medication. All with negative side effects which she outway any positives of the antidepressants. Although she has now found a medication which helps. She says getting an official diagnosis for ADHD has also helped her be able to manage her moods in ways which aren’t medication.
Where I stand on taking medication to help with antidepressants leaves me a little torn, although these work for me currently, they may not always work and sometimes it does make me worry that I am taking the ‘easy’ route out. Currently, I am going to continue to take them as I find them of use. I am also looking into the route of online psychiatry as I feel like this is something I may also benefit from. I would love to hear your opinions of treating mental health with medication in the comments below.
*This is a collaborative post, but all thoughts are my own and thank you to Neve and Ida for helping me with this post.
