Take the drugs

Are you one of those people that hates taking tablets? I don’t mean physically swallowing them, I mean six hours of a headache and I’ll pop one paracetamol because I can’t actually see anymore.

I am. Well, maybe I used to be. I’ve got better at looking after myself. Headache, give it a cup of coffee and an hour… still there? Two codeines down the hatch.

I’m also better at taking the good stuff. By that I mean the drugs that you can’t buy over the counter… you can’t even get from your GP. The good stuff are the ‘yep I’m properly crazy’ drugs that only the psychiatrists can prescribe.

So why do so many people struggle on with mental health issues? Why’s it seen as a failure to talk to a doctor about it? Why’s going on some meds for a few months, or even a few years so frowned upon?

I’m not shouting at the school gates, ‘hey I’m frickin crazy! Who wants to know what time taking!’ But at the same time, most of my family don’t realise what I’m on. Well, I think they know I’m a bit loony, but they’ve never spoken about it. Best just brush it under the carpet eh.

The people that we ‘the loons’ do speak about it with is each other. Oh, we love a chat about meds. Well, we like to pretend it’s the most interesting thing about us… which it really isn’t.

So if you’re struggling, talk to someone, anyone. And if you get prescribed something, why not try it? Yes, they might have a few nasty side effects, but what’s the alternative? Staying crazy. Feeling utterly shit every single day?

Do yourself a favour. Try the meds. What’s the worst that can happen?