A misdiagnosis of manic depression (now called bipolar disorder) when I was in my late teens started me on the road to taking medication for my mental health issues. 

Most of the medication that I’ve taken over the years has been antidepressants, both the older and newer types. All but a couple of them made things much worse. I persevered with them for as long as I could. However, in the end, the side effects did not ease at all and were only adding to my existing problems, not helping me with them. 

The couple that didn’t have as many side effects only worked for about three months, even with the doses increased. Despite this, every time I went to the doctor, their default response was to offer more antidepressants, despite the notes on my file. They seemed to believe that I should just put up with these side effects if I wanted to be “cured”. 

Sadly, this is an attitude that others have as well. Some have gone as far as to tell me that I can’t possibly have a mental health problem if medication doesn’t help. I wonder if those people would say that to someone with cancer if chemotherapy didn’t work. I think not. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against medication for mental health issues in the slightest. When it works, it can save people’s lives. My issue has a few main points:

1. The assumption is that if the medication doesn’t cure your mental health issues, then you didn’t have them in the first place. Not every health issue responds to medication. 

2. That you should persevere with horrendous side effects for months, years or even for the rest of your life. It’s no good if the supposed cure is worse than the problem. 

3. That medication is the default response of some GPs, even if it is clear that it hasn’t worked before. I know I am far from alone in having had this experience. It then becomes a long-winded and very stressful fight to get access to any other type of treatment. This attitude by the medical profession often results in having to go private or rely on a charity or non-profit organisation to provide it at a reduced or no cost. 

Sadly, I think a lack of money and other resources, such as adequately trained people, may be fuelling some of this issue. I remember some years ago being told by a mental health organisation that they would not be offering me therapy as it was too expensive. What is the point of persisting in only providing treatments that do not help the patient? In my opinion, this is also wasteful and only escalates the problem. Some people will take the pills out of guilt and shame. I know I did for a while. 

I probably sound like a broken record, but attitudes towards mental health issues need to change if there is to be any hope of preventing them from becoming so severe that they become life-limiting or even life-ending. Our mental health is every bit as important as our physical health. 

WRITTEN BY LORNA SMART

BLOGGER @POEMSTELLIUM

INSTAGRAM @LORNASMARTWORDCRAFTER

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