March 14, 2025 • 16 mins
The medication debate in mental health isn't just frustrating—it's dangerously incomplete. Society has trapped us in a false binary: either psychiatric meds are life-saving miracle cures, or they're just crutches for people dodging responsibility. Reality lives in the messy middle.
For some people with conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression, medication isn't optional—it's the foundation that makes stability possible. No amount of positive thinking or lifestyle changes can replace what these medications provide. Meanwhile, personality disorders require a more nuanced approach. Medication can help manage symptoms like emotional dysregulation or anxiety, but without therapy addressing the underlying patterns, pills alone won't create lasting change.
Then, there's the uncomfortable reality that we're often medicating people to fit into broken systems. ADHD medications prescribed because "modifying the kid is cheaper than modifying the classroom." Antidepressants given to workers burning out in toxic jobs. Anti-anxiety medications dispensed to help people cope with financial insecurity. These aren't just individual health issues—they're societal problems manifesting in our minds and bodies.
The stigma around taking psychiatric medication remains powerful despite hundreds of millions of people relying on these treatments worldwide. Nobody questions someone using an inhaler for asthma, yet psychiatric medication is still viewed as a character flaw or weakness. Managing your mental health—whether through medication, therapy, or both—isn't failure. It's responsibility.
Ask yourself: What serves your well-being best? Are you medicating to heal or just to endure? And if hundreds of millions need medication just to function in our societies, maybe the problem isn't them. Maybe it's the world they were never meant to fit into.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Beyond the binary medication, society and personal
agency in mental health, psychmeds life-saving necessity or
just an excuse to dodge realcoping skills that's the debate,
and it's dumb the truth.
It's way more complicated thanthat.
Introduction the black andwhite thinking around medication
(00:34):
.
Whenever the topic ofpsychiatric medication comes up,
people tend to split into twoextremes.
One side swears by meds they'relife-saving, non-negotiable and
essential.
The other dismisses themthey're crutches, happy pills or
a sign of weakness.
And neither side really gets it.
Because the reality is thissome people absolutely need
(00:56):
medication to function, somepeople take it to cope with a
world that wasn't built for themand most fall somewhere in
between.
But instead of discussing that,the conversation gets stuck in
black and white thinking.
Meds are good, meds are bad.
Kale smoothies cure serotonindeficiencies.
So in this episode we'recutting through the noise.
(01:20):
We'll talk about whenmedication is essential, when
it's a useful support system,not a crutch, when it's overused
or prescribed for the wrongreasons, and how much of our
mental health crisis is actuallya society crisis.
The goal isn't to tell you whatto do.
It's to help you thinkcritically and take ownership of
(01:41):
your own mental health, withoutguilt, shame or internet gurus
screaming about big pharmaconspiracies.
So let's get into it.
One when medication isessential.
Let's start with wheremedication is non-negotiable.
So if you have diabetes, youneed insulin.
(02:02):
If you have asthma, you need aninhaler.
If you have a severepsychiatric disorder, you might
need medication just to function.
For conditions like bipolardisorder, schizophrenia or
severe depression, meds aren'tjust helpful, they're the
foundation for staying stable.
People love to say just toughit out, but no amount of
(02:23):
positive thinking fixes achemical imbalance.
No yoga pose stabilizes intensemood swings.
No kale smoothie balancesserotonin levels.
Sorry, pinterest.
Medication in these cases isn'tabout character or willpower.
It's about biology.
That said, meds aren't magic.
They don't cure mental illness.
(02:45):
They manage symptoms and mostwork best when combined with
therapy, lifestyle changes andother supports.
Think of it this way Anantidepressant won't solve your
problems, but it might give youthe clarity to work through them
.
An antipsychotic won't give youlife skills, but it might
create the stability to rebuildthose life skills.
(03:07):
For some, medication isn't anoption.
It's what makes having afunctional life possible, and if
that's you, there's no shame init.
But what about personalitydisorders?
Well, here's where things getmore complicated.
Unlike conditions like bipolardisorder or schizophrenia,
personality disorders such asborderline personality disorder
(03:30):
or narcissistic personalitydisorder aren't typically
treated with medication alone.
Particularly dialecticalbehavior therapy or DBT, or
cognitive behavioral therapy CBTis the gold standard.
These conditions unfortunatelydon't stem from a simple
neurotransmitter imbalance, butrather deeply ingrained patterns
(03:53):
of thinking, feeling andbehaving, often shaped by early
childhood experiences, societalinfluence or relationships with
toxic individuals.
Experiences, societal influenceor relationships with toxic
individuals.
It's not a serotonin oopsie.
It's more like your brain'sbeen playing emotional Jenga
since preschool.
Many people develop short-termsurvival strategies that seem
effective in the moment but overtime become the very thing that
(04:16):
isolates them.
Ever wonder why yourrelationships all end the same
way, why people slowly distancethemselves?
If the common denominator isyou, it might be time to examine
why Spoiler.
It's not because you'resecretly a reality TV villain,
although the script may betempting to you.
(04:37):
Ever feel like no one trulyunderstands you, like people
dismiss your pain or label youunfairly?
That feeling is real and itmakes sense.
If your life has been shaped byneglect, abandonment or
invalidation, if the world hasconstantly made you feel small,
overlooked or like you don'tmatter, it's natural to fight
back, to demand attention, toavoid rejection at all costs or
(05:01):
to build emotional armor sothick that no one can hurt you
again.
But here's the hard truth.
What worked to protect youbefore might now be pushing
people away Like emotional ducttape great for a quick fix, but
now it's peeling off andsticking to everyone else.
If you feel constantly rejected, could it be that you reject
(05:22):
first to avoid getting hurt?
If people seem to pull away,could it be that you
unconsciously test or manipulatethem to prove their loyalty?
Congrats, you've turnedfriendship into a loyalty
obstacle course.
Most don't make it past thetire run Now.
(05:44):
People who are going throughemotional codependency often do
this too, just for way differentreasons.
If you struggle with emotionalcontrol, could it be that your
past wounds are making today'sconflicts bigger than they
really are?
This isn't about blamingyourself.
It's about recognizing that thecoping mechanisms that kept you
safe as a child might besabotaging you as an adult.
Ever feel like someone deservedto be punished for hurting you?
(06:05):
Like they needed to be taught alesson so they'd finally
understand how much pain theycaused Again?
That feeling is real, but let'sbe honest how often did it
actually work?
Did they suddenly wake upenlightened, apologize profusely
and change their ways forever?
Or did they just get confused,distance themselves or, worst
(06:27):
case, turn around and make youthe problem.
Because here's the truth whenyou lash out to punish someone,
sure you might cause someshort-term damage.
Maybe they even have to go totherapy and spend over $4,000
unpacking the chaos you leftbehind.
But guess what?
The ones with real emotionalresilience don't break.
We grow.
(06:49):
The ones who already knew theirworth don't internalize it, we
walk away.
And the ones who have beenthrough this before well, we
just give up on trying to helppeople like you.
Well, we just give up on tryingto help people like you.
And that that actually hurtspeople who struggle the same way
you do.
Because here's what happenswhen someone deals with enough
(07:09):
people who refuse to helpthemselves, they lose their
willingness to try.
They stop giving the benefit ofthe doubt, they see the warning
signs and leave earlier.
And yeah, that's tragic, butthe reality.
It only makes our lives easierand more peaceful.
At worst, you become thepunchline, the bad example, the
cautionary tale we tell to helpothers recognize these patterns
(07:32):
faster, and you're the one whohas to live with you every day,
every night, with no escape fromyour own thoughts.
That's the real lesson.
Now, all of that said,personality disorders often come
with severe mood swings,anxiety, depression, impulsivity
or paranoia, like your brain'sthrowing a tantrum party and
(07:53):
forgot the RSVP.
All symptoms that can bemanaged with the right
medication.
For borderline personalitydisorder, mood stabilizers,
low-dose antipsychotics can helpwith emotional regulation.
For narcissistic personalitydisorder, while there's
tragically no direct medicationaddressing co-occurring
depression or anxiety, can becrucial For avoidant, dependent
(08:17):
or obsessive-compulsivepersonality disorders.
Ssris or anti-anxietymedications can reduce distress
and improve daily functioning.
The goal Stop burning your ownbridges.
Look, if you struggle withemotional regulation,
impulsivity or extreme moodswings, untreated symptoms can
make relationships, jobs andeven daily life chaotic.
(08:39):
And here's the harsh truthPeople might tolerate you, but
they don't have to keep you intheir lives.
You're not auditioning foremotional survivor.
No one's voting you off theisland, they're just swimming
away.
That's why treating symptoms,whether through therapy,
medication or both, can mean thedifference between healing
(09:00):
relationships or repeating yourdestructive cycles.
Ask yourself are you constantlyexplaining why your reactions
are justified?
Do people seem to misunderstandor abandon you over time?
Have you convinced yourselfthat everyone else is the
problem?
Because if you keep ending upin the same mess, different
(09:20):
faces, that's a pattern, not badluck.
Life's not a cosmic prank show.
You're not being punked by fate.
Here's the thing you don't haveto fix everything overnight.
You don't have to navigate thisalone.
You do have to takeaccountability for your impact
on others.
(09:42):
Now, all that being said, takingmeds for mental health is no
different than wearing glassesfor vision.
You're not weak, you're justtired of squinting through
life's blurry bullshit.
You're taking care of yourself,and that that's real
self-agency.
Two, when medication is ahelpful tool or a crutch.
(10:03):
Now what about the gray area?
What if you don't need meds tosurvive, but they make life a
hell of a lot easier?
This is where people love tothrow around the word crutch,
like that's a bad thing.
But let's think about thatmetaphor for a second.
If you break your ankle, youuse a crutch to walk while you
heal.
If your brain chemistry isworking against you, a crutch to
(10:26):
walk while you heal.
If your brain chemistry isworking against you, meds can
give you stability while youbuild other coping skills.
There's nothing wrong withtemporary support.
For many neurodivergent people,like those with ADHD or autism,
meds don't fix anything, butthey can help navigate a world
that isn't designed for theirbrains.
Adhd meds won't make someoneneurotypical, but they might
help them focus in a chaoticwork environment.
(10:48):
Anti-anxiety meds won't erasestress, but they might make a
toxic job tolerable whilesomeone plans their exit.
This is where society's rolecomes in.
Take schools.
Some kids are medicated forADHD not because they need it,
but because their schoolenvironment is failing them.
One pediatrician even admittedprescribing ADHD meds to kids
(11:12):
without ADHD because, and Iquote modifying the kid is
cheaper than modifying theclassroom.
Let that sink in.
Instead of fixing brokensystems, we medicate individuals
to fit into them, and thispattern repeats in adulthood.
Overworked professionals takestimulants to keep up.
(11:32):
Burnt-out employees takeanti-anxiety meds to endure
toxic jobs.
People exhausted by societytake antidepressants just to
function.
Now, does this mean peopleshouldn't take meds?
No, yet it's worth asking.
Am I treating a personalproblem or am I medicating to
survive a system that should bechanging instead?
(11:54):
Three when medication might beunnecessary or overused.
Now let's talk about the otherend of the spectrum.
Not every bout of sadness isdepression.
Not every shy kid has socialanxiety disorder.
Not every tough week needs aprescription.
But modern psychiatry hasblurred the line between normal
(12:16):
human emotions and disorders.
Grief isn't always depression.
Stress isn't always an anxietydisorder.
Feeling burnt out at work isn'talways a personal mental health
issue.
It's often a sign that your jobis trash.
Yes, medication is often thefirst and fastest solution.
Doctors are overworked,insurance covers pills way
(12:39):
better than therapy and in aculture obsessed with
productivity, people want aquick fix.
So what happens?
Well, people get medicated whenthey really just need therapy,
better sleep or time to processemotions.
Pills are handed out to takethe edge off without fixing the
root cause.
People stay on medsindefinitely, not because they
(13:01):
still need them, but because noone checks if they still do.
If you're on medication, it'salways worth reassessing.
Am I on this because I need itor because I never considered
another option?
Is this improving my quality oflife or just numbing me?
Am I fixing a problem or justcoping with an environment
(13:23):
that's making me sick?
4.
Breaking the stigma.
Medication isn't weakness.
Despite hundreds of millions ofpeople worldwide taking psych
meds, stigma is still everywhere.
Hey, why don't you just tryyoga?
You shouldn't need medicationto be happy.
I don't believe in depression.
(13:43):
Cool, you don't have to believein gravity, but you'll still
hit the ground when you trip.
Needing medication doesn't makeyou weak.
Refusing medication doesn'tmake you stronger.
What matters is making aninformed personal choice.
If you need meds, take themwithout shame.
If you don't, great, but don'tjudge people who do.
(14:05):
And if you're unsure, ask, butdon't judge people who do.
And if you're unsure, askyourself what actually serves
your life best.
Final takeaway beyond thebinary At the end of the day,
mental health medication isn'tgood or bad.
It's a tool.
The real question isn't shouldpeople take meds?
It's what role do meds play inyour journey?
(14:26):
And are you okay with that?
Because, let's be real, nobodyside-eyes a diabetic for taking
insulin.
No one calls someone unstablefor using an inhaler.
But the second, it's mentalhealth meds.
Suddenly you're a walking redflag.
If someone sees you asdangerous just because you take
medication, that says more abouttheir ignorance than it does
(14:47):
about your mental stability.
Because managing your health inany form isn't weakness, it's
responsibility.
It's not a superhero originstory, it's not a villain arc,
it's just you figuring your shitout like any functional adult.
It's just you figuring yourshit out like any functional
adult.
And if someone can't handlethat, especially if they aren't
(15:08):
a psychiatrist or scientist ortherapist well, maybe the real
instability is thinking they'reeven qualified to judge and
that's all that really matters.
So the question is if you knew,without a doubt, that your
struggle wasn't a personalfailing, but a predictable
response to a world you live in.
(15:29):
What would you do differently?
Would you still blame yourself?
Would you still feel shame forneeding help?
Would you still accept thenarrative that you're broken?
Or would you start questioningwho benefits from you believing
that?
Because here's the reality.
If hundreds of millions ofpeople worldwide need medication
just to function in society,maybe the problem isn't them,
(15:52):
maybe it's a world they werenever meant to fit into.
And if that's the case, thenwhat else have we been taught to
believe about ourselves?
That isn't actually true.
Thank you.
Beyond the binary medication, society and personal
agency in mental health, psychmeds life-saving necessity or
just an excuse to dodge realcoping skills that's the debate,
and it's dumb the truth.
It's way more complicated thanthat.
Introduction the black andwhite thinking around medication
(00:34):
.
Whenever the topic ofpsychiatric medication comes up,
people tend to split into twoextremes.
One side swears by meds they'relife-saving, non-negotiable and
essential.
The other dismisses themthey're crutches, happy pills or
a sign of weakness.
And neither side really gets it.
Because the reality is thissome people absolutely need
(00:56):
medication to function, somepeople take it to cope with a
world that wasn't built for themand most fall somewhere in
between.
But instead of discussing that,the conversation gets stuck in
black and white thinking.
Meds are good, meds are bad.
Kale smoothies cure serotonindeficiencies.
So in this episode we'recutting through the noise.
(01:20):
We'll talk about whenmedication is essential, when
it's a useful support system,not a crutch, when it's overused
or prescribed for the wrongreasons, and how much of our
mental health crisis is actuallya society crisis.
The goal isn't to tell you whatto do.
It's to help you thinkcritically and take ownership of
(01:41):
your own mental health, withoutguilt, shame or internet gurus
screaming about big pharmaconspiracies.
So let's get into it.
One when medication isessential.
Let's start with wheremedication is non-negotiable.
So if you have diabetes, youneed insulin.
(02:02):
If you have asthma, you need aninhaler.
If you have a severepsychiatric disorder, you might
need medication just to function.
For conditions like bipolardisorder, schizophrenia or
severe depression, meds aren'tjust helpful, they're the
foundation for staying stable.
People love to say just toughit out, but no amount of
(02:23):
positive thinking fixes achemical imbalance.
No yoga pose stabilizes intensemood swings.
No kale smoothie balancesserotonin levels.
Sorry, pinterest.
Medication in these cases isn'tabout character or willpower.
It's about biology.
That said, meds aren't magic.
They don't cure mental illness.
(02:45):
They manage symptoms and mostwork best when combined with
therapy, lifestyle changes andother supports.
Think of it this way Anantidepressant won't solve your
problems, but it might give youthe clarity to work through them
.
An antipsychotic won't give youlife skills, but it might
create the stability to rebuildthose life skills.
(03:07):
For some, medication isn't anoption.
It's what makes having afunctional life possible, and if
that's you, there's no shame init.
But what about personalitydisorders?
Well, here's where things getmore complicated.
Unlike conditions like bipolardisorder or schizophrenia,
personality disorders such asborderline personality disorder
(03:30):
or narcissistic personalitydisorder aren't typically
treated with medication alone.
Particularly dialecticalbehavior therapy or DBT, or
cognitive behavioral therapy CBTis the gold standard.
These conditions unfortunatelydon't stem from a simple
neurotransmitter imbalance, butrather deeply ingrained patterns
(03:53):
of thinking, feeling andbehaving, often shaped by early
childhood experiences, societalinfluence or relationships with
toxic individuals.
Experiences, societal influenceor relationships with toxic
individuals.
It's not a serotonin oopsie.
It's more like your brain'sbeen playing emotional Jenga
since preschool.
Many people develop short-termsurvival strategies that seem
effective in the moment but overtime become the very thing that
(04:16):
isolates them.
Ever wonder why yourrelationships all end the same
way, why people slowly distancethemselves?
If the common denominator isyou, it might be time to examine
why Spoiler.
It's not because you'resecretly a reality TV villain,
although the script may betempting to you.
(04:37):
Ever feel like no one trulyunderstands you, like people
dismiss your pain or label youunfairly?
That feeling is real and itmakes sense.
If your life has been shaped byneglect, abandonment or
invalidation, if the world hasconstantly made you feel small,
overlooked or like you don'tmatter, it's natural to fight
back, to demand attention, toavoid rejection at all costs or
(05:01):
to build emotional armor sothick that no one can hurt you
again.
But here's the hard truth.
What worked to protect youbefore might now be pushing
people away Like emotional ducttape great for a quick fix, but
now it's peeling off andsticking to everyone else.
If you feel constantly rejected, could it be that you reject
(05:22):
first to avoid getting hurt?
If people seem to pull away,could it be that you
unconsciously test or manipulatethem to prove their loyalty?
Congrats, you've turnedfriendship into a loyalty
obstacle course.
Most don't make it past thetire run Now.
(05:44):
People who are going throughemotional codependency often do
this too, just for way differentreasons.
If you struggle with emotionalcontrol, could it be that your
past wounds are making today'sconflicts bigger than they
really are?
This isn't about blamingyourself.
It's about recognizing that thecoping mechanisms that kept you
safe as a child might besabotaging you as an adult.
Ever feel like someone deservedto be punished for hurting you?
(06:05):
Like they needed to be taught alesson so they'd finally
understand how much pain theycaused Again?
That feeling is real, but let'sbe honest how often did it
actually work?
Did they suddenly wake upenlightened, apologize profusely
and change their ways forever?
Or did they just get confused,distance themselves or, worst
(06:27):
case, turn around and make youthe problem.
Because here's the truth whenyou lash out to punish someone,
sure you might cause someshort-term damage.
Maybe they even have to go totherapy and spend over $4,000
unpacking the chaos you leftbehind.
But guess what?
The ones with real emotionalresilience don't break.
We grow.
(06:49):
The ones who already knew theirworth don't internalize it, we
walk away.
And the ones who have beenthrough this before well, we
just give up on trying to helppeople like you.
Well, we just give up on tryingto help people like you.
And that that actually hurtspeople who struggle the same way
you do.
Because here's what happenswhen someone deals with enough
(07:09):
people who refuse to helpthemselves, they lose their
willingness to try.
They stop giving the benefit ofthe doubt, they see the warning
signs and leave earlier.
And yeah, that's tragic, butthe reality.
It only makes our lives easierand more peaceful.
At worst, you become thepunchline, the bad example, the
cautionary tale we tell to helpothers recognize these patterns
(07:32):
faster, and you're the one whohas to live with you every day,
every night, with no escape fromyour own thoughts.
That's the real lesson.
Now, all of that said,personality disorders often come
with severe mood swings,anxiety, depression, impulsivity
or paranoia, like your brain'sthrowing a tantrum party and
(07:53):
forgot the RSVP.
All symptoms that can bemanaged with the right
medication.
For borderline personalitydisorder, mood stabilizers,
low-dose antipsychotics can helpwith emotional regulation.
For narcissistic personalitydisorder, while there's
tragically no direct medicationaddressing co-occurring
depression or anxiety, can becrucial For avoidant, dependent
(08:17):
or obsessive-compulsivepersonality disorders.
Ssris or anti-anxietymedications can reduce distress
and improve daily functioning.
The goal Stop burning your ownbridges.
Look, if you struggle withemotional regulation,
impulsivity or extreme moodswings, untreated symptoms can
make relationships, jobs andeven daily life chaotic.
(08:39):
And here's the harsh truthPeople might tolerate you, but
they don't have to keep you intheir lives.
You're not auditioning foremotional survivor.
No one's voting you off theisland, they're just swimming
away.
That's why treating symptoms,whether through therapy,
medication or both, can mean thedifference between healing
(09:00):
relationships or repeating yourdestructive cycles.
Ask yourself are you constantlyexplaining why your reactions
are justified?
Do people seem to misunderstandor abandon you over time?
Have you convinced yourselfthat everyone else is the
problem?
Because if you keep ending upin the same mess, different
(09:20):
faces, that's a pattern, not badluck.
Life's not a cosmic prank show.
You're not being punked by fate.
Here's the thing you don't haveto fix everything overnight.
You don't have to navigate thisalone.
You do have to takeaccountability for your impact
on others.
(09:42):
Now, all that being said, takingmeds for mental health is no
different than wearing glassesfor vision.
You're not weak, you're justtired of squinting through
life's blurry bullshit.
You're taking care of yourself,and that that's real
self-agency.
Two, when medication is ahelpful tool or a crutch.
(10:03):
Now what about the gray area?
What if you don't need meds tosurvive, but they make life a
hell of a lot easier?
This is where people love tothrow around the word crutch,
like that's a bad thing.
But let's think about thatmetaphor for a second.
If you break your ankle, youuse a crutch to walk while you
heal.
If your brain chemistry isworking against you, a crutch to
(10:26):
walk while you heal.
If your brain chemistry isworking against you, meds can
give you stability while youbuild other coping skills.
There's nothing wrong withtemporary support.
For many neurodivergent people,like those with ADHD or autism,
meds don't fix anything, butthey can help navigate a world
that isn't designed for theirbrains.
Adhd meds won't make someoneneurotypical, but they might
help them focus in a chaoticwork environment.
(10:48):
Anti-anxiety meds won't erasestress, but they might make a
toxic job tolerable whilesomeone plans their exit.
This is where society's rolecomes in.
Take schools.
Some kids are medicated forADHD not because they need it,
but because their schoolenvironment is failing them.
One pediatrician even admittedprescribing ADHD meds to kids
(11:12):
without ADHD because, and Iquote modifying the kid is
cheaper than modifying theclassroom.
Let that sink in.
Instead of fixing brokensystems, we medicate individuals
to fit into them, and thispattern repeats in adulthood.
Overworked professionals takestimulants to keep up.
(11:32):
Burnt-out employees takeanti-anxiety meds to endure
toxic jobs.
People exhausted by societytake antidepressants just to
function.
Now, does this mean peopleshouldn't take meds?
No, yet it's worth asking.
Am I treating a personalproblem or am I medicating to
survive a system that should bechanging instead?
(11:54):
Three when medication might beunnecessary or overused.
Now let's talk about the otherend of the spectrum.
Not every bout of sadness isdepression.
Not every shy kid has socialanxiety disorder.
Not every tough week needs aprescription.
But modern psychiatry hasblurred the line between normal
(12:16):
human emotions and disorders.
Grief isn't always depression.
Stress isn't always an anxietydisorder.
Feeling burnt out at work isn'talways a personal mental health
issue.
It's often a sign that your jobis trash.
Yes, medication is often thefirst and fastest solution.
Doctors are overworked,insurance covers pills way
(12:39):
better than therapy and in aculture obsessed with
productivity, people want aquick fix.
So what happens?
Well, people get medicated whenthey really just need therapy,
better sleep or time to processemotions.
Pills are handed out to takethe edge off without fixing the
root cause.
People stay on medsindefinitely, not because they
(13:01):
still need them, but because noone checks if they still do.
If you're on medication, it'salways worth reassessing.
Am I on this because I need itor because I never considered
another option?
Is this improving my quality oflife or just numbing me?
Am I fixing a problem or justcoping with an environment
(13:23):
that's making me sick?
4.
Breaking the stigma.
Medication isn't weakness.
Despite hundreds of millions ofpeople worldwide taking psych
meds, stigma is still everywhere.
Hey, why don't you just tryyoga?
You shouldn't need medicationto be happy.
I don't believe in depression.
(13:43):
Cool, you don't have to believein gravity, but you'll still
hit the ground when you trip.
Needing medication doesn't makeyou weak.
Refusing medication doesn'tmake you stronger.
What matters is making aninformed personal choice.
If you need meds, take themwithout shame.
If you don't, great, but don'tjudge people who do.
(14:05):
And if you're unsure, ask, butdon't judge people who do.
And if you're unsure, askyourself what actually serves
your life best.
Final takeaway beyond thebinary At the end of the day,
mental health medication isn'tgood or bad.
It's a tool.
The real question isn't shouldpeople take meds?
It's what role do meds play inyour journey?
(14:26):
And are you okay with that?
Because, let's be real, nobodyside-eyes a diabetic for taking
insulin.
No one calls someone unstablefor using an inhaler.
But the second, it's mentalhealth meds.
Suddenly you're a walking redflag.
If someone sees you asdangerous just because you take
medication, that says more abouttheir ignorance than it does
(14:47):
about your mental stability.
Because managing your health inany form isn't weakness, it's
responsibility.
It's not a superhero originstory, it's not a villain arc,
it's just you figuring your shitout like any functional adult.
It's just you figuring yourshit out like any functional
adult.
And if someone can't handlethat, especially if they aren't
(15:08):
a psychiatrist or scientist ortherapist well, maybe the real
instability is thinking they'reeven qualified to judge and
that's all that really matters.
So the question is if you knew,without a doubt, that your
struggle wasn't a personalfailing, but a predictable
response to a world you live in.
(15:29):
What would you do differently?
Would you still blame yourself?
Would you still feel shame forneeding help?
Would you still accept thenarrative that you're broken?
Or would you start questioningwho benefits from you believing
that?
Because here's the reality.
If hundreds of millions ofpeople worldwide need medication
just to function in society,maybe the problem isn't them,
(15:52):
maybe it's a world they werenever meant to fit into.
And if that's the case, thenwhat else have we been taught to
believe about ourselves?
That isn't actually true.
Thank you.
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