3 Myths about medication and it’s uses in mental health that you probably believe to be true!

Myth 1 “Medication doesn’t work”

There has been lots of noise in recent times about the prescribing of SSRIs. That there is little evidence to support the idea that chemical imbalance causes depression.

And I can honestly say that there have been loads of occasions where meds have done very little or made things worse.

But as people do with information such as this.

Is they take it, apply it to everything and conclude that medication is of no use.

The thing is though, try telling that to someone who takes lithium. Who prior to taking it were experiencing symptoms of Bi-polar. Where their mood cycled from 3 months of hypermania in which they are often detained under the mental health act because they are a significant risk to themselves. To the following 3 months in bed experiencing crippling depression.

Or the person who takes Quetiapine to manage the constant intrusive thoughts they experience from the trauma they went through as a child. Who prior to this couldn’t leave the house because of the anxiety and fear they experienced.

Does medication work for them? Because despite the narrative often pushed. It appears so.

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Myth 2 “The first thing people do, is stick people on medications”

This one seems to linger around like a bad fart, but I can honestly say this is less and less common.

In today's world, the aim is to only use medication if clinically indicated and if other options have been exhausted. Whilst also respecting patient choice.

This is why they have lovely people like me, working in GP surgeries doing proper holistic assessments, brief interventions, social networking and signposting to see if things can be improved without hopefully ever needing to stick a pill in your mouth.

Of course, sometimes people will be stuck on medication straight away, depending on their presentation and the risks involved, but generally, this is not the case.

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Myth 3 “Medication cannot solve your problems”

There is actually truth to this, medication doesn’t solve your problems.

But medication can put you in a better place to help you solve your problems.

One of the more unhelpful narratives that seems to be popular in the wanky wellbeing space is that you need to feel all your feelings. That this is the answer to all your problems.

Now, if you ever hear me talk about emotions, I do to an extent, support the idea that you need to be ok with being ok, that we need to be comfortable expressing all emotion and take time to delve into what's behind that stuff.

But the thing is, sometimes, we don’t need to be feeling every single feeling. Sometimes we need to stop feeling so we can find solutions to our problems.

Because sometimes it’s not blocked emotions that are causing people’s problems.

It’s all the shit going on around them.

And often, to deal with that shit.

They need to temporarily turn the dial down on those emotions.

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Now, I could add loads more nuance to this.

But it’s a social media post so get over it.

And before you ask me if Big Pharma are paying me to say this…

My answer is “I wish”.

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All joking aside,

It’s really important that there is a more balanced discussion around topics such a medication and it's uses in mental health.

You don’t have to have an all or nothing approach to it.

You don't have to be anti-medicine and pro everything is trauma.

Your opinion isn't everyone's opinion

Mental health is a very complex thing. People who work in the field know that.

And we also admit that we don’t know how a lot of this stuff works.

But people believe in the Law of attraction, and there is nothing to support that.

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So please don’t look down on medications and their uses.

Don’t fall for conspiracy theories that are only fueling someone's personal agenda.

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Listen to the people who are actually struggling.

And if some of them believe medication has helped them.

Then who are you to dismiss that?!!

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What are your thoughts on the above?

Do you have any personal experiences of using medication?