“Medication compliance” is frequently discussed among the treatment providers and loved ones of people diagnosed with mental illness. People can’t fathom why someone with distressing symptoms would choose not to take the medication that relieves those symptoms. It is often chalked up to a behavioral issue and the diagnosed are labeled “noncompliant,” held longer in inpatient facilities, and generally treated with less respect.
What is often overlooked is how deeply the side effects of certain medications, especially antipsychotics, can reduce the quality of life. I’ve illustrated some testimonials from people who take antipsychotics, so that the side effects written on warning labels can be more viscerally understood.
Regardless of their diagnosis, people deserve autonomy. This is not a statement against medication. Medications affect each person differently, and when clinicians collaborate with those they treat, people often find an option that brings them relief. Medication is a tool, and if a person chooses to use it, they deserve to find one that is worth taking.
