[Mountaindewed]

Has anyone heard about this? Supposedly the goal is to wear a button that says “Wear Your Meds”. Then when they ask you talk to people about ending the stigma of psychiatric medications.

I don’t really get it. I don’t think it’s my employers or my coworkers business that I am on meds. Or anyone else’s business besides my doctors. I don’t think you should be wearing a button that just is announcing your on meds. I mean, unless you actually want to.

My meds really help me and I’m not ashamed about being on them. I just don’t get why everyone needs to know especially when no ones giving me a hard time about them anyways?

[Travelinglady]

I wouldn't wear such a button either.

[mugwort2]

Doubt I would either. Taking meds is a private issue to me.

[Raindropvampire]

I have a shirt that says "medicated for your safety" so I kinda already wear a button

[eskielover]

They are a personal issue & no one but your pharmacist & MD'S have a "need to know" I always kept information in my purse about the med I was on & the really long list of meds I have horrible reactions to. It is no one else's business.

No one advertises they are on insulin or high blood pressure meds. It is just no one's business except for medical personnel that have to care for you & they need details not a button

Yeah I would not wear that button. Unless maybe I was getting paid to.

[guilloche]

Yeah. I'm not actually taking any meds, although they've been recommended several times. But, I wouldn't want to discuss that with my coworkers - way too personal, and not their business.

I think that it's hard to know how people are going to react, and you can't really take it back once you put that info out there. Even if people *seem* to react well, you don't know what they're really thinking and if it's going to influence how they treat you in the future.

Since I need my job to support myself, it's not worth the risk of messing it up!

[Taylor27]

I would not wear the button it is a very personal issue and i do not need the world to know. It's a very hot topic and lots of people do not understand mental illness

That is ridiculous, in my not so humble opinion.

Wearing a pin doesnt end stigma, it subjects you to it further.

[possum220]

This is a stupid idea. Wear your meds? What us that supposed to mean. Attach bottles of medications on your clothes?

[LiteraryLark]

That's a horrible campaign. I wouldn't do it.

[Velvet Lounger]

I'm afraid that where I work, that would be frowned on and very likely could be subject to disciplinary action.

[88Butterfly88]

I wouldn't wear that button either, not something I need to advertise.

[eskielover]

In the US....isn't that a violation of HIPPA? No one has any right to know medical/ psych anything without written consent of the person?

I would never wear such a thing, either. I am not ashamed of having a mental illness, but nobody needs to know what I take to control it. Should I also be telling strangers and work colleagues what I take for genital herpes outbreaks?

This got me curious to learn more about the campaign. For anyone who wants to read about it there's an article at this link. Wear Your Meds: Lauren Weiss

Even after reading her reasons for starting the campaign I would never take part in it. The inspiration for her campaign was her resistance to using psych meds for her bipolar disorder. That if people with mental illness see others wearing a button featuring the medication they take, it will open up discussion about their experiences with finding the right medication.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't understand how this is helpful. If a person is wearing, let's say, a button featuring Prozac, obviously that medication is helping the button-wearer. But it doesn't mean it's right for the person asking about it. I mean, medications vary with each person. Shouldn't this be something discussed with the person's doctor who knows their medical history?

Not to mention, I think this campaign fuels the perception that if you have a mental illness all you have to do is take meds and you'll be fine.

[eskielover]

How about wearing buttons for ALL the meds one has had a BAD reaction to. What flawed thinking in that campaign.

Bad reactions are totally personal & PDOCS should be the ones this is discussed with. My bad reaction may not be someone else's bad reaction & their good reaction may be seriously bad for me too.

[GattoNegro]

Xanax
Mogadon
Ritalin
Mitrazpine
Diyhdrocodeine