How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

How to be an Informed Medication Consumer

Have Your Doc on Speed Dial

How To:

Save and "favorite" the numbers of your psychiatrist and pharmacy.

"My 'Favorites' contact list is my mom, my sister, Sara my therapist, and Dr. Chavez, my mental health support system."

001

Be Your Best Advocate

How To:

Some psychiatrists require you to push for your needs more than others, so be ready.

"When I had a psychiatrist that dismissed my request for medication alternatives, I was ready to explain why I needed answers."

001

Become the Expert on Your Symptoms

How To:

Use an app to track your symptoms daily to monitor how the medication is working.

"With my meds tracking app, I found out anxiety levels dropped by 32% after week 10."

001

Get Insured

How To:

If you don't currently have health insurance, watch YouTube videos to get help.

"I'm in the US, so I watched some videos about the Open Enrollment site to learn more."

001

Record Your Appointments

How To:

Ask your provider if it would be OK for you to record the appointment. This is especially helpful when focus or memory is in rough shape.

"I like using the Abridge app, which makes recordings, transcripts, next steps and even info about the diagnosis and medications."

001

Get a Second Opinion 👩‍⚕️

How To:

If you aren't feeling good about a psychiatrist, have backup options.

"I had a weird feeling about my appointment with the first doctor, so I tried another office."

001

Keep Asking Questions!

How To:

Get the most out of your visit. Ask about side effects, common drug interactions, dietary considerations, & when it's important to contact the provider.

"I like to prepare for my visits with my psychiatrist ahead of time so I have questions I'm prepared to ask."

001

Have a Pharmacist Chat

How To:

Ask your pharmacist for additional information or clarification.

"Pharmacists often have a more in-depth knowledge of potential drug interactions. I learned from mine that I couldn't take an over-the-counter cough medicine with my meds."

001

Understand the Reasoning Behind Choices

How To:

Ask about what the provider's reasoning was to come to a diagnostic or medication-based decision."

"When I understood my doctor's thought-process behind decisions, I could check to make sure it made sense in the context of my own experience."

001

Deep Dive Into Meds Research

How To:

Use trusted websites like Medline Plus or Medscape for medication details.

"I checked with my psychiatrist about which sites are accurate before I did my own research."

001

Get an Advocate

How To:

When you're struggling emotionally, it's helpful to have someone with you, like a family member or patient advocate, to ask questions and advocate for your needs.

"It was hard for me to invite my family to my appointments, but my best friend went with me to my first few to help me explain how I was doing & remember the discussion."

001

Check Your Health Insurance

How To:

Understand what medications are covered by your insurance.

"I saved SO much money by checking ahead of time what I had covered."

001

Get Informed on What Else is Out There

How To:

Insist on knowing medication alternatives when talking to your doctor and do your research.

"It's awkward, but it was so worth it when I advocated for myself to get off of a med that was truly not working."

001

"Yelp" Your Meds

How To:

Explore consumer reviews of meds on reputable sites. Understand the reviews as another data source- valuable, and sometimes biased or inaccurate.

"I kept in mind that every body reacts differently to each med, but I found out about a little-known side effect this way."

001

You are Not a Lost Cause

How To:

If you haven't found a treatment that helps yet, you are not alone. There are so many important parts of healing (community, peer-support, therapy, lifestyle, etc.) that can also be addressed.

"When ECT didn't work for me, I thought my life was over. I kept putting one foot in front of the other, and I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel."

001

Know the Limitations

How To:

Medications are a tool used to lay a foundation for more sustained healing to occur - through therapy, peer support, and other means.

"It was hard to realize that my meds weren't going to get rid of the depression. By learning to acknowledge the sadness, live my life with it, & using my support system, I felt greater healing."

001

Compare and Contrast

How To:

Compare different medication options online with sites like GoodRx medication comparison tool.

"I was curious how the side effects and costs were different between 2 ADHD medications. It helped to look it up beforehand so I could talk w/ my NP about it with more background knowledge."

001

Ask about Non-Medication Options

How To:

There are many holistic treatments & supplements that support mental health. Additionally, treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine therapy are alternatives to traditional medicines.

"When my meds weren't cutting it, I decided to get TMS. It was scary at first but for me, it was worth it."

001

Use the Brochure for Some Light Reading

How To:

Leave your medication leaflet out somewhere as a reminder.

"Let me tell you, I only read and re-read that leaflet because it was in the bathroom, lol."

001

Movement Videos

Movement for Feeling Stuck in Current Patterns

View Video

Movement for When You Don't Want to Move

View Video

Movement for When Joy is Hard to Feel

View Video