YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Hey all,

This is a blog a read a lot by Dr. Rob Dobrenski. He has a fantastic book that I recommend as well called Crazy: Notes on and off the Couch.

ANYWAY,

This is an article that I go to a lot when I feel like a weak person because I have to rely on meds to regulate my mental state. It's easy to slip into believing the stigma around mental health, therapy, and medication. Next time you're feeling like that, try reading this article and hopefully it'll help you be a little more gentle and easy on your self.


http://shrinktalk.net/?p=194

-Jennifer

Thank you Jennifer I just read it and it makes you sense

Thanks for posting this article, Jennifer. Stealing it for my blog right now!
I have struggled with taking/not taking my medication for the last 4 years.
Now I'm finally convinced that, like a diabetic, it is my responsibility to my
health to take my antidepressants.

-Kristin
(Woebegone Warrior)

you're welcome! i'm glad it helped you feel better about taking meds. i still struggle with my feelings about taking meds, so it's helpful to have constant reminders that it's not a weakness, that it's something i need to fix a chemical imbalance, it's not something i can control on my own. the diabetic example helps a lot.

Exactly! Even my husband doesn't get it. When I was going through the challenges of finding the right meds for me, I had a pretty bad allergic reaction to Wellbutrin. He started getting on a soapbox about how I should just stop taking them altogether, rather than starting on another one. I listened to him for about 24 hours, then thought better of it. I have a mental illness - that my grandfather died from, Hello! I tried the kidney disease analogy with him the other day. I think it worked.

Thanks for this link. Funny how the mind works -- part of it is working better because it's taking a pill, and the other part is being grumpy being it has to take a pill.