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theotterone · Sep 24, 2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrm3601

She says to me that she will not take psychiatric medication again. This is not only disappointing and disturbing for me. To a great extent, I fear for her, my, and our future. I agree that medication is crucial for her. With the proper medication and the other recovery techniques she practices, I would hope that the chances of yet another psychotic episode would become slim.

However, we don't know what will happen in the future. It could be that she will change her mind. It could be too, that if she agrees to engage in psychotherapy, with or without me, that she will change her mind also.

She is fine now and finally she comes back to me from her family in Europe within a few weeks. I will be watchful and gentle.

I'm not sure what else I can do except to be loving, encouraging, and supportive. I will NOT pursue any kind of court order to make her take psychiatric medications.

Thank you. I look forward to speaking with you again.

Please realize I am speaking from the experience of depression, anxiety and ADHD and their medications, not any other condition.

Make sure you are taking care of YOU. This can be hard. As someone who has suffered through depression and anxiety, I have done the "I feel better now that I have been on medication, I'm CURED!" and crashed off the medication. (Was bummed when Adderall didn't cure my "ooh shiny" moments too). Medications have side effects that can be hard to get through since you experience the side effects, but the positive results can take a long time to see (usually 6-8 weeks, though Adderall kicks in right away). So you are taking a medication that is supposed to make you better, but all you feel is the side effects and it doesn't seem worth it. Some just can't stand them. For instance, I have a male cousin who is dealing with not only mental illness, but addiction too. He will not take anti-depressants because it affects sexual desire (it brings it down to nearly nothing).

As others have said, we also have the stigma of mental illness. It is frowned upon as not an actual medical issue. If we just work at it and "think happy" it will go away. (I've told my father in law to go to...well...you get the idea...for suggesting this). It can be hard to accept that we can not do it on our own. It wasn't until I was pregnant with my first daughter and gestational diabetic that I realized that something similar was going on in my brain. My body could not make enough of the right chemicals to be "normal". There are two types of people on medication (again, MY opinion, not a medical anything). One only needs medication for a while to help them through a hard point. My sister is a good example of this. She went on anti-depressants for a while after she had a breakdown (not hospitalization) and it was found because she had 2 of her sons within 13 months, she had postpartum depression that went untreated and got worse. She didn't need to stay on them long. Then there are those of us, like me and my mother, who have had to accept we need the help medication gives us along with other alternative techniques to fuction (Medication usually works best hand in hand with these options). It's a hard realization to go through. I am lucky and have accepted this. Many can't. It may be for her that medication is a daily or multidaily reminder that she isn't strong enough to control her mind without help, isn't good enough to be healthy. I'm not saying she isn't, but that may be part of her issue with her own image.

We often deal with issues of self worth and self esteem. We also deal with society at large looking down on those with mental illness and not recognizing that while it is mental, it is also MEDICAL.

Hang in there! You have a good handle on things. Just be prepared that you may need to break away if she refuses help. Unfortunately, we can not force those we love to stay on medication, even when it is needed.

I'm sorry she is having a hard time and that I am so dang long winded! MAN!

Just know you have support here! I wish you and your wife all the best, healthiness and peace in the world!