Member-only story
Mental Health
My Doctor Said One Thing That Changed My Opinion on Drugs
Take your meds. They’re good for you
Some backstory for you. In 2019, I started taking antidepressants. They really, really helped. I wanted to die, and then I didn’t. I started feeling like an active participant in my own life instead of like I was watching it happen to someone else. I started brushing my teeth again. A resounding success, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Fast-forward to June of this year and smarty pants over here decided to stop taking her meds. I mean, I didn’t quit cold turkey; I’m not that dumb. I consulted my GP practice and, following their advice, I tapered off slowly.
People asked me why I wanted to quit and I was full of reasons. They mess up my sleep, I said, truthfully. You’re not supposed to be on them for more than three years, I said, which I thought was true but turned out to have no basis in fact. I’m all better now I said. It’s just time.
I even wrote about it. But I was lying. None of those was the reason I chose to stop taking antidepressants. I stopped taking them because I internalised everything society says about psychiatric drugs. That they’re bad for you. They’re a crutch. They’re an over-prescribed, poor solution for lazy people unwilling to change. That they don’t…
