Encouraging treatment

However as with all medications, not everyone who is prescribed a treatment will take it as required (the right dosages at the right times) for a number of different reasons, some intentionally and some not so. This is discussed in terms of treatment compliance.

When it comes to the treatments for mental illness there are a number of common reasons why someone might not be taking their medication correctly, or even at all.

• medications for mental illness can sometimes have unpleasant side effects, and so your relative may reject the treatment if they decide the side effects of the medication are worse than the symptoms of the mental illness they have experienced
• some people during illness can start to believe that the 'strange' feelings they are experiencing are a result of the drugs and not of the illness
• some people stop taking their medication as soon as they start to feel better

Unfortunately stopping treatment abruptly often results in someone experiencing a relapse - even when they may have stopped taking their medication because they were feeling better.

Informal carers are often amongst the first to notice when a relative is not complying with their treatment, and so being aware of what you can do to help and what action to take, could make the difference between someone relapsing or not.

• if your relative has stopped taking medication or is preparing to do so, alert them to the possible problems, in particular the risks to them of having another acute episode
• if you have a good relationship with your relative's care-coordinator (key worker) let them know what is happening
• if your relative does not have a care coordinator or psychiatrist, try to talk with them about what promotes recovery and what else can be done to try to support them more in continuing their medication
• if your relative objects, and talks about troublesome side effects that are making them feel bad, explain that their medication can be reviewed and possibly even changed to one that will have fewer side effects for them
• most important of all, reassure them that by taking a responsible approach to their medication, they are gaining much-need control over their illness - and that with time and continued good progress the medical team may eventually feel able to consider a gradual reduction or perhaps even to stop the treatment completely, at the right time
• looking into options for talking therapies alongside drug treatment may be a way for your relative to help reduce the levels of medication they are on, whilst still effectively treating and managing their condition without risking recovery
  

In particular instances where complying with treatment is especially problematic for your relative, you could look into whether it is possible for them to go through 'compliance therapy' which is where professionals use set techniques to address individual issues that are holding people back from being comfortable in taking their medication.