Why are blacks not taking drugs for our mental health?

For twenty-five years, I had to deal with anxiety, depression and all kinds of mental health problems. What did I learn?

You need the right team to stay healthy. And, as with any disease, it will probably be necessary to start with a medical intervention. But often, people scoff at the thought of taking medication for mental health.

Then I ask what happens if you break a leg. That's what I use to help people understand why therapy and medications are often the first line of defense for mental health.

So, let's say you're breaking your leg.

What is your first gesture?

A. become vegan

B. walk

C. Pray on it

D. Go to the hospital and have him run in a casting.

The answer, of course, is D. You can also pray for that. But what is the first step? A broken leg is a trauma, treat it as such.

Depression is also a trauma. If you, or someone you know, feel depressed, depressed, anxious or obsessed for a period of time and have not seen any improvement, you should take them to a doctor who specializes in these symptoms. It would be a therapist and / or a psychiatrist. If this doctor suggests drugs, try them!

I do not know many people who would refuse chemotherapy or open-heart surgery, Tylenol for a headache, Nyquil for a cold or painkiller for this root canal. But as soon as the idea of ​​mental health drugs is introduced, psychiatrists are seen as evil villains working for Big Pharma who do not have our interests in mind.

In fact, this may be the case for all doctor. We take our risks with the medical field all the time. The truth is, unless you literally take no drugs for whatever reason, there is no reason why you can not at least try what is suggested for your mental health.

Depression is relatively easy to treat and you do not have to take the medicine indefinitely. I chose to stay at a low dose of Wellbutrin, the antidepressant I have been using for many years because I enjoy stabilizing my mood. I do not want depression to win, especially when the seasons change. But some people just take it until they feel better and then work with a doctor on how to go from front to side. Go without dairy products! Get your prayer on! Walk a mile a day! Drink this tea! Any help. But most of the time, like this broken leg, you will probably need to stabilize your mood and get yourself right first.

Now, I want to talk about Lithium.

(And please, understand that I do not recommend any medicine on behalf of a person or company, but it makes no sense for me to be as transparent and not to do my best to explain my background.)

Lithium has been used for over a hundred years to treat various diseases. It has been a favorite place for mental disorders since 1948. It is considered one of the safest and most essential drugs for a modern health care system.

I have never wanted to take it, even though it has been suggested many times over the years. That made me think of movies like Flight over a cuckoo's nest and I always read that it could slow creativity.

Two years ago, my new doctor asked me to try it. If it did not work, we would come out and try something new. He told me to expect to feel something in a week or two.

I felt different the next day.

Something has just calmed down in my mind. I felt that I could see more clearly. I had the impression of being able to breathe more deeply. I felt … ordinary.

I was relieved.

And then I sobbed.

I thought of my nineteen-year-old character and the need for Lithium, not Prozac. I was thinking about my postnatal state, after the birth of my child, and how much Lithium would have helped me at that time.

From 19 to 42 years old, Lithium should have been part of my treatment plan. I can only look forward and be grateful that this common, inexpensive medication is part of my daily routine. It's definitely not a cup of tea or a vegan diet. But I will take it.

Medications are not a panacea. They have side effects that can range from boring to dangerous. I have thirty pounds more than I am when I do not take medicine. Not cool. There may be nausea, dizziness, hand tremors, dry mouth, insomnia, and this is the side effect of one of my medications.

My doc and I are constantly looking for the best results with the least possible side effects. Let's go down a half milligram here. Let's try to take this one on a full stomach, and for this one, take one dose in the morning and another in the evening.

After two years working with my doctor, I have free courses on my medications and how I take them. I recently did my homework and decided to remove one of my meds from my routine. My doctor trusts me and knows that I am attentive to my symptoms and that I make many choices, whether to adjust the dosage or to change the way of treatment.

Before meeting my new doctor, I was in a very bad place. I was depressed and I had no health insurance. I called my last doctor and offered to pay out of pocket to get a prescription for Wellbutrin. They said that it was a waiting list of three months. Just to get a prescription. I called doctors all around my home. Either they did not take clients at all or had a waiting list of several months. Every day, through tears, I called more and more doctors without result.

I was scared. I knew that if I did not get treatment quickly, the depression would deprive me of seeking a doctor.

I called an emergency department to ask if I could prescribe an antidepressant. The nurse told me that I should be admitted to the psychiatric unit to have medication. I did not want to leave my child and I did not want to be in the hospital so I kept looking. The nurse told me to call a doctor in private practice who has no insurance but probably an opening.

They said I could come the next day. The price: $ 500 for a consultation.

This doctor does not take insurance. Which means that he can see a limited number of patients who can pay out of pocket. And unlike most doctors, he can spend an hour with each patient since he charges a full fee without paperwork.

I did not have $ 500. I abandoned it. All that was going to happen was going to happen.

Then I gathered my last strength and I did the unthinkable: I asked for help. I'm crying and wondering how a low call for help almost immediately cost me $ 500 in my hands.

I made it to this first date. I had my prescription and I have never looked back.

I needed a reset. J? have understood. No crutches and no boxes. Now I'm flying.

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P.S. I write this story in the hope that someone reading this will say: I am ready to try. I do not want to feel like that anymore.

What we also need to remember is that there are people in our lives who want us to be well. We must respect the fact that we are not always easy to maintain. Damn it's not always easy to love.

For Mental Health Awareness Month, I also want to educate those who make so many sacrifices to care for us and keep us safe. Even when we fight. Especially when we fight. I want to thank the people of my life who never leave me. My village includes Travis, who does not care what I HATE to take my medication, and to understand that day, the evening will always end at 9 o'clock. Thanks to Kathleen for being a therapist, a life coach and a financial advisor, sometimes all at the same time, my dear Ukachi, for putting my well-being in motion when I needed it most and to Dr. Merritt Hubsher, to give me wings.