Local Leaders | Mental Health: The medication question, answered

My short answer is always “Not now, but tell me why you think you should stop taking them?”

Some of the time the person is getting side effects from the medication which are causing problems. Some of the side effects may be weight gain, difficulty with sleeping and waking and sexual problems, to name but a few. These we can deal with, perhaps with changing dosage or the type of medication, or adding something into the mix.

Other times people want to stop taking medication because they feel better. This is a real paradox. You feel better because of taking medication so you think you can stop it then you will feel worse again. This just goes around in a circle.

Some mental health issues are short lived and medication may be stopped, and some issues are long-term or chronic in nature and may need a lifetime of treatment, similar to high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. These people need their medication to keep well.

But there is a group of people who feel embarrassed or ashamed to be treated for mental health issues. They feel it is a personal failing or weakness and they should be strong. Stopping medication makes them feel they may be in more control. If you feel this, then it is important not to stop your medication but to talk with a mental health worker to be able to find a solution. Your medication may just be saving your life.