Yesterday I shared the big moments in my journey to finding the right medication. Today we will look at some stereotypes regarding taking medication for mental health issues.
STEREOTYPES
- There is something wrong between you and God...
- You will have to take it for the rest of your life...
- You are choosing to feel this way and can change if you want to...
These are the first three that come to mind...there are, I am sure, a lot of other negative stereotypes regarding this issue...Let's take a minute and refute these stereotypes with the truth...
- There is something wrong between you and God...False, now, that is not to say that God is incapable of healing you, because he absolutely is...but God did not give you this because of something you have or have not done...That is not the God we serve...
- You will have to take it for the rest of your life...False, a lot of seasons of depression in life are what is called 'situational' depression this means that you are feeling this way because of the life situation you are experiencing...for example; divorce, the loss of a loved one, extreme stress, unemployment etc...these situations may benefit from you taking medication in conjunction with therapy for a short period of time while you learn coping skills to help you see your situation rationally.
- You are choosing to feel this way and can change if you want to...False, if your brain chemistry is 'atypical' no amount of effort on your part is going to change that...and that is okay...just like you can not heal yourself of cancer, heart disease, or arthritis you can not heal yourself of genetic mental disorders and you should not feel that you can...that is a weight that no one could bear...just like cancer, heart disease, and arthritis there is a treatment plan that needs to be put into place to manage it...this includes; counseling, family participation, and possible medication...
Remember that journal or scrap of paper I asked you to find last week? Get that out again and answer the following questions for yourself...
1. Is how you are handling your current situation working for you?
2. Are you scared to tell people the truth of what you are thinking?
3. Does your family have a history of depression/other mental disorders? This would include the stories of 'weird uncle sal," realistically not a lot of mental health concerns are addressed which muddies the water in you looking to the past for clarity.
4. What are the stereotypes in your head regarding taking medication?
5. What is stopping you from considering medication as an option?...opening up a conversation does not mean you have to make a decision...
Tomorrow I will answer these questions from the perspective of my past and present...I will also share with you some practical steps you can take to assist you in making a choice to confront your mental health concerns.
As always please contact me with any questions or ask them in the comments...I would love to help you think through your specific situation...like everything in life each plan is different, the action steps for each individual...
Carelessly,
April
- There is something wrong between you and God...
- You will have to take it for the rest of your life...
- You are choosing to feel this way and can change if you want to...
These are the first three that come to mind...there are, I am sure, a lot of other negative stereotypes regarding this issue...Let's take a minute and refute these stereotypes with the truth...
- There is something wrong between you and God...False, now, that is not to say that God is incapable of healing you, because he absolutely is...but God did not give you this because of something you have or have not done...That is not the God we serve...
- You will have to take it for the rest of your life...False, a lot of seasons of depression in life are what is called 'situational' depression this means that you are feeling this way because of the life situation you are experiencing...for example; divorce, the loss of a loved one, extreme stress, unemployment etc...these situations may benefit from you taking medication in conjunction with therapy for a short period of time while you learn coping skills to help you see your situation rationally.
- You are choosing to feel this way and can change if you want to...False, if your brain chemistry is 'atypical' no amount of effort on your part is going to change that...and that is okay...just like you can not heal yourself of cancer, heart disease, or arthritis you can not heal yourself of genetic mental disorders and you should not feel that you can...that is a weight that no one could bear...just like cancer, heart disease, and arthritis there is a treatment plan that needs to be put into place to manage it...this includes; counseling, family participation, and possible medication...
Remember that journal or scrap of paper I asked you to find last week? Get that out again and answer the following questions for yourself...
1. Is how you are handling your current situation working for you?
2. Are you scared to tell people the truth of what you are thinking?
3. Does your family have a history of depression/other mental disorders? This would include the stories of 'weird uncle sal," realistically not a lot of mental health concerns are addressed which muddies the water in you looking to the past for clarity.
4. What are the stereotypes in your head regarding taking medication?
5. What is stopping you from considering medication as an option?...opening up a conversation does not mean you have to make a decision...
Tomorrow I will answer these questions from the perspective of my past and present...I will also share with you some practical steps you can take to assist you in making a choice to confront your mental health concerns.
As always please contact me with any questions or ask them in the comments...I would love to help you think through your specific situation...like everything in life each plan is different, the action steps for each individual...
Carelessly,
April
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