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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mentalgame on July 23, 2008, at 10:26:27
I have read some about this issue, but was wondering if anyone has experience with this. Are there any tips for getting people with severe chronic mental illness to take their medication consistently?
Thank you for any ideas
Posted by Quintal on July 23, 2008, at 10:55:02
In reply to Med compliance tips for severely mentally ill, posted by mentalgame on July 23, 2008, at 10:26:27
There are depot injections for this kind of thing. I take it it's not for yourself?
Q
Posted by Phillipa on July 23, 2008, at 12:11:40
In reply to Re: Med compliance tips for severely mentally ill, posted by Quintal on July 23, 2008, at 10:55:02
If it's for psychosis there are indeed month or two week shots used to be prolixin. Phillipa ps sure there are more now.
Posted by Racer on July 23, 2008, at 18:20:44
In reply to Med compliance tips for severely mentally ill, posted by mentalgame on July 23, 2008, at 10:26:27
Like Quintal, I also assume this isn't for yourself?
The answer is -- as in so many things -- "It depends..." I'd say the most important question is *why* the person in question isn't compliant.
If the problem involves side effects, those can often be mitigated. Some medications can have pretty significant side effects, which can interfere with compliance.
Often, though, there's a problem with lack of insight. Someone with psychosis may believe that they don't need the medications,;or someone with bipolar enjoys the hypomania, without recognizing the damage it can lead to. Or someone may have difficulty coping with perceived stigma associated with taking psychiatric medications. Then there are others with much simpler disorders, such as major depression, who take an antidepressant long enough for the symptoms to go away, then stop the medication under the belief that the problem is "cured," without realizing that maintenance treatment for some months after remission is often necessary to prevent relapse.
So, the answer I'd give you is, "It really depends on what's causing the non-compliance. Different causes lend themselves to different solutions."
I hope that helps. And welcome to Babble! I hope you find as much support here as I have over the years, and choose to stick around.
This is the end of the thread.
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