Here we are again, the weaning process. It’s a cruel joke that for anti-depressants to work it can take up to 6 weeks, when you start going off them you feel it immediately. You get a nice combo of a headache, some extra cotton mouth, losing your words, lack of energy, exhaustion, blurred vision, eye twitches, memory loss, and extra sensitivity to light.
This time around I’m also increasing my mood stabiliser while dropping my anti-depressant. So I get to cop all the little side effects having a party at once. It is unpleasant, and I absolutely feel gross right now. It will improve though.
Medication is necessary for me. Much as it is necessary for many other people. I accept that in order to be able to function I need to take medication. It is not the only solution. All of the other things that are important to well-being contribute such as diet, exercise, and reaching out for help. But in many instances, being able to do the things you need to do, like having a shower or getting up can only be achieved once you’ve eased the burden.
I do not understand nor approve of those who say that medication is never necessary and shouldn’t be used. If I had a dollar for every time someone has said to me “just go for a walk” I would never worry about money again. There are many faults in this advice, for a start I walk often and usually exercise at least an hour a day, turns out I’m still crazy. When I can’t exercise, it is because I can’t. My brain, my body, my everything says no.
It frustrates me even further when this sort of advice is peddled in the media.
Wilson advocates walking as much as possible, preferably outdoors.
“It’s immediate, it’s faster than any drug out there and it shuts down the anxious part of the brain immediately,” she says.
I will refrain from adding my other thoughts about the various pieces of advice in this article and the discussion of ‘anxiety’ that simply sounds like ‘worries’ and significantly minimises the experience of those with anxiety disorders.
The demonising of medications makes it harder for people to reach out for help and to acknowledge when they have a problem. Medication is not a weakness and it is not failure. It is not giving up. Acknowledging that you need help is strength.
I chatted to a friend recently that was struggling and didn’t want to resort to the medication she’d be given. I asked whether she thought I was weak for taking medication, of course not, she said. This is an issue, people can extend the empathy and compassion to other people that they can’t extend to themselves.
I’ve gone off topic haven’t I? Thanks withdrawals.
Mental health, and mental illness is a process. You can’t take a tablet and be instantly fixed, but a little sunshine won’t resolve a psychotic episode.
Medication is an important part of the conversation around mental health, and the judgment that is often associated with medication is something that needs to change.
