It's Okay to Need Meds

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As someone who lives with a number of chronic health issues, it is almost inevitable that medications and supplements would also be part of my daily routine. Just like we buckle our seatbelts when going for a ride and wash our hands after using the bathroom, medications can help to increase our safety, as well as our health-related quality of life.

I know that there are some schools of thought that see any medication as evil poison, despite the extensive research that happens before a medication hits the pharmacy shelves. I am not one to ignore facts and statistics. Heck I have my MS degree in clinical psychology, which includes a specialization in applied research. Facts and statistics are the core to the future I was working towards for much of my adult life. I say was, because due to my various conditions, it would make it nearly impossible to hold down most jobs, let alone the research PI position I was working towards.

Okay, back to the topic of medication. It seem as if there were only two schools of thought, both of which are polarizing and dangerous. On one side, we have those who turn up their nose at most supplements or alternative health practices, ready to pop a prescription pill for any of life’s inconveniences. Then, the flipside are those who eschew prescriptions, in favor of herbs and questionable practices (looking at you, coffee enemas!). Both sides have valid concerns and support, be it scientific or folklore.

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So, which side do I follow? Both! I believe that both can coexist. I take my blood pressure medication to counter the symptoms of dysautonomia and indomethacin to prevent my migraines and ice pick headaches. But I also drink ginger and turmeric tea to help to reduce inflammation, pop a melatonin at night to help me sleep (when I don’t have painsomnia), and smoke a bowl or two daily to help to cope with my chronic pain.

Whether you have been prescribed medications for physical or mental health, we really need to end the stigma of having to take medication on a daily basis. Like with most things in life, too much of a good thing isn’t really good for us. Relying solely on either traditional or alternative health schools of thought can rob people of enjoyment, and that sounds kind of sucky to me!