On 29th May, 2022 HCI held an interesting Zoom session with Psychiatrist Vani Kulhalli on the topic that almost every person who has faced mental health challenges deals with at some point or the other.
Dr. Vani spoke eloquently and answered many questions related to topic of ‘When to begin medicines and when to stop medication for mental health.
Here are some of the highlights of her session:
1.
While taking medicine for one’s psychiatric illness, an appropriate dosage (not less, neither high) is required for an appropriate duration.
2.
Whenever we start our medication the initial 3-4 weeks are difficult. Side effects of the medicines will be there. We have to inform about the side effects to our Psychiatrist. We can look for home remedies to cope up with the side effects.
3.
Psychiatrists are well trained in prescribing medicines but they are not well versed in listening or in giving therapy. We need to visit both a psychiatrist and psychologist (therapist) for better handling of our mental health.
4.
Every psychiatrist is unique and they too have different personalities. Choosing a best psychiatrist is our choice. We can look for medical professionals who can match our personality.
5.
The initial days of medication can be difficult. Over a period of time, medicines will get adjusted with our body chemistry and the side effects can go away. We need to have patience. If any side effect bothers us too much, it’s time to inform our doctor.
6.
We shouldn’t think that medications will be for life-time. We need to set a goal for our recovery and should have hope that everything will be fine. We have to make a plan for a specific period and act accordingly to that.
7.
New medicines or treatments are constantly coming to the market. So one needs to be hopeful and stay positive for their better mental health.
8.
Have a buddy with whom we can share our hard times and our ups and downs, so that we can feel comfortable and find it easy to handle our mental state.
9.
Weed or drugs are never an option to deal with mental health issues. They can make us temporarily feel good, but they are harmful in the long run. Instead of having a weed we can inculcate hobbies such as gardening, walking, running and other physical activities to feel good and happy.
10.
While thinking about quitting medicines we need to think about the cost-benefit analysis of medications, so that we can understand how effectively the prescribed medicine is helping us.
11.
For better handling of our overall health we need to make some lifestyle changes and also choose a diet that best suits us while energising us.
- Transcribed by Darshan Palekar
- Compiled by Amol More
- Edited by Mahrukh