The decision to take medications is not an easy one for many individuals, and this seems to be especially difficult when considering the use of psychiatric medications. Although the idea of medications may have been first brought up by a family member, one’s therapist, or a pharmaceutical commercial, individuals naturally have personal agency in the final decision in consultation with a psychiatrist or prescribing provider.

Whether someone is considering taking medications for the first time, going back on medications after a hiatus, or accepting that more permanent use will be needed, several metaphors may be beneficial to consider.

There are times when medications are optional, but not always. When someone has a bad cold or the flu, a decongestant or throat lozenges might help someone be a little less uncomfortable and allow for better sleeping—but it doesn’t generally change the course of the short-term illness. However, when someone has diabetes or an immunodeficiency, meds are often more mandatory for long-term health and optimal system functioning.

Similarly, with mental health issues, using medications might be optional in some situations yet necessary in others. Not all illnesses are created equally. Decreasing the intensity of depressive symptoms, for instance, might be moderately useful in some circumstances but lifesaving in others. Differentiating optional versus necessary is important, though occasionally this is not known until after a period of use. And even if medicine is determined to be........

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