Recovering from mental illness is difficult enough, but prescribing thewrong mental health medication makes it even more difficult. I have been prescribed inappropriate mental health medications before and have heard many stories from others who have found themselves in the same situation. Taking medications incorrectly can be harmful. That’s why it’s extremely important to talk about it when something is wrong.
I was prescribed the wrong mental health medication
When I was in my early twenties, I took a large dose of antidepressants. It started in middle school. When I started experiencing depressive symptoms, my doctor increased the dose. Then I felt better for a few months, then another depressive episode started, which led me to take a higher dose. This cycle continued until I reached the maximum dose and still didn’t feel well. At this point I had energy but was angry, irritable and unbalanced.
After college, I worked with a doctor who made me uncomfortable and questioned my diagnosis of bipolar disorder. He continued to take his full dose of antidepressants but insisted on being tested for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). (The results showed both ADHD and bipolar disorder.) A stimulant was added to my medication regimen.
ADS
At this point I felt even worse. I felt like I was experiencing a constant manic or mixed episode. After a very stressful year (which included a lot of bad grades and pain), I was looking for a new doctor. His immediate reaction to the medication I had been prescribed was one of shock. Sure, the medications I was taking protected me from depressive symptoms, but without mood stabilizers or additional stimulants, I became unstable.Prescribing the wrong psychiatric medication has damaged my life.
Making sure my mental health prescriptions weren’t wrong
Honestly, I was relieved to learn that I had been prescribed the wrong mental health medication. For years I blamed myself and called myself “crazy” or “stupid” (which is usually harmful when associated with mental illness).
I knew something was wrong, but the visit to my first doctor had left me too intimidated to say anything. I thought that if the depression didn’t keep me in bed for weeks, the medication would work pretty well. Solving half the problem wasn’t enough.
I was afraid to change doctors, but it turned out that the best solution forme would be to find a new doctor. She was able to change my medications, which completely changed my ability to deal with my mental illness.
Honesty about medication errors and psychological symptoms
In my case, the doctor’s contempt and lack of trust led me to continuetaking poorly prescribed medication. That’s not always like that.
Although doctors are considered experts in medicine, they are not experts in every field. Medication is difficult and everyone is different. Every person is an expert in their own body and experiences.
ADS
