Treatment and Recovery Part 5: Using Medications

In the course of your treatment for mental illness, your physician may suggest one or more medications to help you feel better. Using these medications should be your decision, but in order to make an educated choice, you will first need answers to some very important questions. To answer those inquiries, you may ask your doctor or pharmacist, or search a reliable information source on the internet. Double check with your health care provider before making a final decision. Here are a few of the most vital questions to ask:

• What are the common name, product name, product category, and suggested level of this medicine?
• What does the physician expect the medication to do for you? How long will it take to become effective? How well has this medication worked for other patients?
• What are the possible long- and short-term side effects of taking this medicine? Are there ways of reducing the risk of experiencing these negative effects?
• What, if any, restrictions (like driving or avoiding certain foods) need to be considered when using this drug?
• What tests (such as routine blood tests for toxicity, etc.) will be needed beforehand and while taking this medication?
• How will it be determined whether a dose should be changed or the medication discontinued?
• How much does it cost? Are there any programs that will help cover some or all of the expense of this medication? Is there a less expensive drug that can be used instead, or can a generic form be substituted for the suggested brand name?
• Are there any medications or supplements that should not be taken while on this prescription drug? What about over-the-counter medications?

If your symptoms are so bad that you are having trouble understanding this information, ask a family member or friend to learn about the medication and to help you decide whether it is the right course of treatment for you.

In deciding whether to take a medication or consent to another type of treatment, ask yourself whether the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks. You may decide to try the treatment for a trial period and then re-evaluate your health before proceeding. Do not quit taking medication without consent of your doctor! Many psychiatric drugs will have dangerous withdrawal effects on your mental and physical health if not weaned from the system properly.

If you decide to use one or more medications, you must manage them very carefully in order to achieve the best possible results and to avoid serious problems. To do this:

• use the medication exactly as the doctor and pharmacist have suggested.
• report any side effects to your doctor, and keep notes for yourself about what you experience, when you experience it, and what the doctor's response is.
• ask your doctor what to do if you skip a dose. Do not double the next dose unless the doctor tells you to! 
• avoid the use of alcohol or illegal drugs. (If you are addicted to them, ask your doctor for help.)
• pay close attention to lifestyle issues that cannot be corrected by medications, such as stress, chaos, poor diet (including excessive use of sugar, salt, caffeine, and smoking), lack of exercise, inadequate exposure to sunlight, and sleep deprivation. If any of these are a problem for you, you will need to address it in order to reach your full potential of wellness. Don't try to make too many changes all at once-take it one step at a time.  

Since mental illness is most often the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain, medications to help restore balance are relatively essential to many cases. This is not to say that you cannot achieve wellness without drugs, but it is definitely an avenue you must consider and discuss in depth with your doctor. Try to avoid doctors that barely listen to your symptoms before they absentmindedly write out a handful of prescriptions. A good doctor will listen carefully to you, examine you for any underlying cause of symptoms apart from mental illness, and will thoroughly explain the medications he or she wishes to try. Doctors are often hard pressed for time on their frantic schedule of patient after patient over the course of their day, but if you feel rushed while trying to discuss your treatment options, request to set up an additional appointment with a longer time slot so that you can get a more substantial answer to all of your questions. Your health is of utmost importance, and you deserve to get solid answers about the drugs you put into your body.