Have you had your meds today? Why this question can be insulting…well to me anyway

Thing is about mental health it’s an hidden illness, one that can only be identified by ones behaviour and actions we portray…any change in behaviour believe me people take notice of some behaviour they may ignore some they will challenge and others they will question “have you had your meds today?”… Now forgive me but I know lots of people who live with variety of life long illnesses some physical some hidden. I can promise you I have watched some of my closest friends cry in pain and frustration causing them to become snappy through lack of sleep…pure exhaustion yet hand on heart that question as never once left my mouth why? Because I know my family and friends are sensible enough to know that taking their medication is vital in their self care and needed to help with their illness or disability. I know that no one asks the question to upset infact quite the contrary I know that people are trying to be caring but sometimes it’s more crushing then helpful…let me explain why I feel this…..sometimes people seem to forget that people living with mental illness still have feelings, we still get upset, angry and frustrated just like anyone else ohbeit in admittance for some of us these natural feelings can be exesibated and we may cry more than others, scream and shout more than others swear..more than others but we are only reacting to a situation that clearly impact on us..our medication although it can prevent some people having any ‘feelings’ we are still going to shout if we stub our toe, be angry at an idiot pulling out in front of us and annoyed if the cleaning up isn’t done or if one is having an argument…blowing my top? Maybe because I am reacting to the here and now something that’s got on my nerves! Trust me no amount of medication one can take will ever be able to prevent that … Mood stabilizers help to do exactly what they say they do help stabilise moods, although they can be amazing I have never not known them perform a miracle (not that they claim to do this) however they have been known to throw out some pretty horrid side effects such has shaking, nausea, dizziness, short temper, hallucinations for want of a few add this to a stump toe imagine the rush of feelings already running round the body to then have added pain! Antidepressants given to us to help us feel better and help with emotions..well that’s ok to help with ‘normal’ day to day life but as before they too dont have any affect on stump toes or dealing with idiots. Then we the antipsychotics that come with more side effects than I can write funnily enough change in mood is one of them! Is your blagged? So far we have identified the amount of drugs that people take and the horrid side effects they have that no matter what we have to try and deal with them…dont get me wrong it would be a long day if I like most of us was to tell you everytime I felt odd, weird, spaced out,sick …need I go on? I am sure by now you are beginning to get a just of what I am saying (I hope) every second of everyday people with mental illness are constantly being reminded that we HAVE TAKEN OUR MEDS … our meds make it hard to eat(dry mouth) so some of us will avoided it but our loved ones,carers, friends will be insistent on us eating something anything because they feel better knowing we have eaten, its lovely but not very helpful we are not being awkward or looking for attention the truth is them meds you remind us about well they are the reason i/we cant go for that meal or drink, we cant go on fast rides or work on machines….just because we get cross doesn’t mean we have not taken them infact we are probably grumpy because we have!