Big Pharma Is Actually a Big Help

One of the biggest issues in today's world is taking pharmaceutical medications for mental health issues. Many times, people either feel medication will make their children a drug addict, or that medication fixes everything.

Even though medication served me tremendously and also millions of others, people still have a very narrow minded view of how beneficial medication actually is, and don't see it for what it actually is. Many people don't understand the realities of medication, which gives it a bad reputation, which causes people to see it in a negative context, instead of understanding the actual facts and benefits of it.

Here are some tips to help you view your medication in a more healthy way.

• Practice proper prescription drug adherence; in other words, take your medicine properly.
• Medicine is a part of an all around treatment plan. Which includes you, behavioral aspects, psychological aspects, sensory aspects. Just to name a few!
• Taking a prescription drug isn't going to make you a drug addict, just like getting a prescribed medication doesn't make you a weak person. It also doesn't give you an upper hand, it levels the playing field so that you can reach your full potential.
• Have an honest relationship with your doctor or therapist, if you are experiencing an issue with your medication. They'll understand, and work with you until you find the proper medication, which benefits you.
• Don't listen to people who work in natural health food stores, they want your money and have no issue reinforcing the hesitations people hold regarding prescribed medications.
• Unless a person is a qualified medical professional, they don't hold the qualifications to diagnose or treat you. Simple as that, especially when it comes to taking advice regarding medication.
• Do not sell your medication, not only is it illegal, but by selling it you're taking away from your own well-being.
• Discover the benefits of the following things: Self Acceptance, Self Awareness, Boundaries, Conflict Resolution Skills, educating yourself so that you can differentiate between mental health facts and mental health myths.

Some advice for the parents out there:

• Don't allow others to make you feel like a bad person or parent, because your child has a mental health issue, and takes a prescription medication to help them.
• Be supportive, reinforce the importance of understanding and recognizing unhealthy and healthy habits and lifestyle choices. Taking the right medication is one of those healthy lifestyle choices.
• Educating yourself is equally important as your child educating themselves.
• Don't let your hesitations regarding pharmaceutical interventions and other aspects of our health care system stop your child from getting the proper medical support they require.
• There's nothing wrong with being nervous about something, but there is something wrong with your own child not receiving proper treatment because of your opinion.
• Don't use the local health food worker to either dictate or interfere with the relationship between children and their qualified medical professional (which is something that a dietitian is not in any way whatsoever qualified to do).
• Help them to understand themselves and the world around them, so they build themselves up so others can't tear them down.
• Don't make your child feel weak or lazy for taking a medication. Pharmaceutical medication adds to persons wellbeing, when taken the correct way.

I honestly know what it's like to be brought up by parents who put you down because of having a mental health issue. Then when asking about seeing a doctor, being told ADHD is just an excuse for being lazy and stupid. Being a kid who was refused to be allowed to take medication, it’s one of the most harmful things that you can do, not having them receive the treatment that they need. I know from first hand experience it honestly is not fun, or fair to your child.

I'm not saying that if you don't have a University degree that you can’t be helpful to your child's treatment or your own. What I'm saying is when it comes to dealing with mental health and especially the psychological facets of it, you need to be really careful about how you approach these issues.

Psychological problems don't simply go away with time, without the proper tools and coping mechanisms in combination with medication, therapeutic and pharmaceutical interventions. Their problems don't only become worse, but without those things, it adds to their problems and makes them that much more complex.

Remember doing what is medically right for your child is what is important. Which sometimes means you'll have to step outside of your comfort zone and see things for what they are, instead of seeing them on how you assume them to be. Prescription drugs when taken correctly save lives, remember that. Also please do not use this to replace your treatment, instead as a reference for understanding yourself and the various things that make you up.