My thoughts on Medication

Psychotropic medication can be a very sensitive topic. I grew up in a home where it was unimaginable that any of us would have to take a pill for mental health reasons. I actually didn’t even know what an antidepressant was until I was in my 20’s. I mean I really had no idea that one could call and make an appointment with a psychiatrist, tell them what’s wrong mentally or emotionally, and then be given a
prescription to obtain a drug to help cope with your symptoms. It bothers me when people “look down” on those of us who take psychotropics, or when we are perceived as “weak” because “we have to rely on a pill to get through life”. I personally think it is ignorant to behold this type of thinking.

Taking medication I think requires a new set of responsibilities. There are some types of medications that can be habit-forming and potentially dangerous. The drug class that comes to my mind first and foremost is Benzodiazepines. When I was prescribed and used this medicine, I found it to be very powerful. For me, it was similar to alcohol in that it provided momentary relief, but with a cost. For me, the negative side effects started to outweigh the momentary positive benefit I was getting. I started to feel like I might need to take them every day, and I didn’t want to do that. I no longer take benzos, but I do take an over the counter product that has somewhat of a similar effect without the side effects.

The stigma that sometimes comes with taking medication for psychiatric reasons can be hard for some people to overcome. This, in my opinion, is very unfortunate. I have been on psychiatric medication for 20 years, and unfortunately, it’s about 5 years too late. I believe that if I had been able to get on medication earlier, It would have helped ease the pain while dealing with some key stressors that developed around that particular time. I advocate for drugs like antidepressants, antipsychotics,
anxiolytics, and mood stabilizers. I have extensive experience taking many different types of these medications and take them daily. A lot of times it’s trial and error. If you have a good psychiatrist, they will help you find the right fit for you. What works for one person may not for the other. I am very grateful and fortunate to have such a compassionate and understanding psychiatrist currently. Unfortunately, that is not always going to be the case.

I think of Psychotropic medication as simply a tool that I use to help with my symptoms. Just like going to the Infrared Sauna, or tanning, and of course Intense Exercise. It’s an important tool in the arsenal to fight mental illness.