Fighting an Invisible Fight
Debunking the stigma surrounding medication and mental health
By Sydney Clanton
Hannah ties her bleach blonde hair up into a tight bun before she settles into her seat. As she begins, her right knee bobs up and down, up and down.
For the last two years, Western senior Hannah has struggled with the ups and downs of anxiety and depression. Most of the time, Hannah appears to be an average college student, but sometimes her symptoms of anxiety become more serious.
Hannah knew her mental illness was taking control over her day-to-day life when she experienced a severe panic attack. It lasted 20 minutes and left her with no feeling in either of her arms or legs.
It happened in the safest place she knew: her bed.
“For such a severe attack to take place in my safe space, I knew I needed more help,” Hannah said. “So I started taking medication.”
This was a difficult step for Hannah. Admitting she needs medication meant admitting she has an illness. The downside of being labeled as “ill” for taking medication stuck in the back of her mind. She was scared to feel vulnerable and discriminated against for using medication for her mental health.
Medication management ended up being the first step she took toward bringing the light back into her life and controlling her anxiety.
“Admitting that I needed help led to me having greater control over my anxiety attacks by using medication,” Hannah said. “I’m not where I want to be yet, but I have made a step in the right direction.”
Reaching out to a healthcare professional was also a confusing process for Hannah. It’s hard to find a solution to an illness when the solution isn’t always apparent. It’s even harder to openly discuss your mental illness when it isn’t the most popular conversation topic.
“We have a problem talking about mental health, it’s something we steer away from,” Hannah said. “It is stigmatized as a personal issue that you need to take care of on your own, rather than how can we help each other.”
Dr. Emily Gibson, director of Western’s Student Health Center, said starting medication for mental health challenges is a completely individual decision, but at times it is very necessary for the safety and well being of a patient.
Dr. Gibson said the Student Health Center on Western’s campus provides medication management for over 15 percent of Western’s student population. Mental illness on Western’s campus is more common than people think, and students are turning to medication more than ever.
According to a study done by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 50 percent of college students rated their mental health as below average or poor. Forty percent of those students failed to seek help from a healthcare professional.
“There can be the self expectation from others that [mental health] is a matter of will, not illness,” Gibson said. “Simply a matter of ‘buckling up’ under stress or depression is all that is needed.”
The stereotype of “just buckling up” can seem simple to those who aren’t struggling with a mental illness. In reality, ignoring symptoms of anxiety, depression or any other mental illness can potentially cause more harm in the future.
“I just feel normal again,” Hannah said. “I don’t feel wired on meds, I don’t feel intoxicated. I just feel like myself. I am all for medication if it works for someone, but it’s not always that easy.”
Medication management can help mental illnesses that result from a number of factors and environmental conditions. This includes genetics, biochemical factors, substance abuse, past history of drama, abuse or grief and poor learning mechanisms, Gibson said.
It took a lot of time and patience for Hannah to find the right medication and dosage. A lot of trips to the doctor and a lot of opening up. Eventually, she found what worked for her and it impacted her physiological and physical health.
“For people who don’t understand my anxiety symptoms, both physical and psychological, I try to explain that I am not just ‘stressed out,’” Hannah said. “It isn’t something I can hide from and medication helps me not hide.”