Aug 13, 2018
“Just be ’med-compliant’ and you’ll be okay.” That’s the message that hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people hear every day from society and their treatment teams. The message is simple: as long as you take your medications as prescribed, you’ll be fine, healthy, happy, and symptom free.
But, is that actually how it works? Is something as serious as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia so easily treated that doctors can just dole out pills and *poof* -- recovery? If it really is that simple, why are so many people suffering?
The obvious answer is that no, it’s not that simple. In this episode, Gabe talks about the sexual side effects of his medications, Michelle discusses her reasons for initially refusing medications, and both hosts share the good, the bad, and the ugly about being “med-compliant.”
Highlights From ‘Psychiatric Medication’ Episode
[0:00] We have been nominated for a WEGO Health Award. You can vote at Schizophrenic.NYC/wego
[3:00] Can emotional distress or grief be relieved with medication?
[6:00] How many medications do we take?
[7:50] What to do
about medication side effects.
[12:00] What is the most common side effect of
medications? (Spoiler Alert: Sex!)
[17:00] Does your life get better right when your start medication?
[19:00] Where can a person turn for support?
[25:00] Accepting medications in your life.