Episode 24 Transcript:
Hi, my name is Jared. I’m not a therapist. I’m not a doctor. I’m not even remotely interested in changing my internet provider. No, I’m just a Christian, who, like many, lives with a mental health challenge. This is Bless This Brain.
It’s a tale as old as time. Maybe not that old. It’s a tale as old as there has been psychiatric medication.
I’m not a med-pusher. I don’t think everyone has to take medication for a mental illness. It’s a very personal decision. It can be a difficult decision. You may be weary of it. That’s okay. The most important thing to me, if my opinion matters, is not how you pursue mental health recovery, it’s that you are pursuing mental health recovery.
You are pursuing mental health recovery, aren’t you champ? Good, I knew you were. I should mention, if this podcast is your only tool for pursuing mental health recovery, go take a look in the mirror and gaze upon someone who’s not doing anything to pursue mental health recovery.
Okay, back to the tale as old as time.
There’s a person, let’s call them Xavier. I don’t know any Xaviers and are therefore not at risk of offending someone I know personally.
Xavier has debilitating anxiety. He’s done everything that he can to not take medication to relieve his symptoms. And when I say everything, I don’t mean he changed his diet or started exercising or saw a therapist. I mean, he just refused to do it.
Because it’s embarrassing. Oh, my gosh. It’s a crutch. If he was a real man he’d just suck it up and push through. Roof roof roof.
But finally, it gets to be too much. He gives in. He takes the med.
The med helps. Not instantly, but six weeks later he’s noticing a difference. Work is easier. Relationships are less contemptuous. That pain that’s constantly in his shoulders is goin’ away. In fact, the only thing that feels really bad right now, is that the only reason he’s feeling better is because of the meds.
So he stops taking ‘em. And at first, it’s fine. And then it’s not. And he goes back on the meds. Until he stops taking them again. And so on and so on…
Here’s my message to you: If medication has helped you significantly and if there’s no major unwanted side effects, and cost isn’t an issue, and you haven’t at the least, brought it up with your doctor, don’t just stop taking your meds.
If the only reason you stop taking your meds is because you don’t want to be dependent on something to help you feel better, then keep taking your meds while you wrestle through whatever it is making you feel like you shouldn’t be dependent on anything.
If you take this idea that you shouldn’t be dependent on anything to its logical conclusion, then surely you’ll be willing to do the following: Stop eating. Stop breathing. Stop drinking water. Stop sleeping.
You see where I’m going. It’s okay to be dependent on things. If there’s anything that the gospel of Jesus Christ has communicated to us about our own state of existence, is that we are children. Children are needy. You’re needy. I’m needy. It’s okay…to be needy.
It doesn’t make you less than. Or maybe it does. Because we are less than. And He’s more than. And He loves us.
Again, taking medication is a personal decision. And I understand what it’s like to want to stop taking it. I’ve had side effects that I didn’t like, and I worked with a doctor to make changes. And I’ve definitely had times where I thought I was all better only to find that the all better I was feeling was because of my medication.
I’m not about to shame you if you decide to stop taking your meds. I just want to gently encourage you to not just stop taking them, because you’re embarrassed, or because of shame, or because of self-condemnation. His power is made perfect in weakness and good Lord we are weak. So boast all the more, my friend, not only in your weakness but in the gifts God has given us to reduce our suffering.
Lord, for our good and for your glory, Bless This Brain.