How to save someone’s life (or at least get them to take medication)
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Parts 2 in a Series. View Part 1 and Part 3.
In a previous piece I explored approaches to helping someone into therapy. But therapy may be neither necessary nor sufficient for treatment recovery (though it nearly always helps).
In my mental health journey, 2 years before I was hospitalized, I started twice a week sessions with a seasoned and solid therapist. Our conversations would be winding and erudite, free-wheeling and spirited. And then I would crack.
It could be a single word he said. Or an analogy I didn’t prefer. The title of a book on his shelf. A vibe he emanated. Or just the rising of an emotion I couldn’t tolerate or permit. Then I would freeze in tears and barely speak the rest of the hour. We lengthened our sessions to give room for recovery but it just kept happening.
Finally, he suggested to me, in the mildest way possible, that medication might help.
I didn’t want that. He knew I didn’t want that. He knew I needed it. I refused to even consider.
While sustained talk therapy is one of few proven “drugs”, it can be extremely hard to do at…
