Untitled

[Sookeh]

I suffer from GAD and depression and am currently on the road to being fully recovered.

I'm at the point now when I want to come off of my medication but my doctor seems to be unwilling to let me. I'm under the care of the local mental health team and have CBT appointments which I've found helpful but I also want to stop those.

I want to be done with the whole bit really, I'm over medicated and I just want to move on with my life.

I'm tempted to just stop taking them but I know the side effects can be harsh.

What reasons might your gp have for not wanting you to finish treatment?

It's not my GP it's the doctor from the mental health team.

Can they force me to take this medication if I just flat out refuse to take it anymore?

Every time I say I want to finish with the pills he says that it's something we'll do in the future. I don't want to feel like this anymore

You can only be forced to take medication if you've been sectioned. I'm guessing you're not sectionable in which case you're free to stop them if you wish to.

however, just because you can stop taking the medication doesn't mean you should.

what reasons has the doctor given for not wanting you to cease treatment?

I was on a section two years ago, I think it was a minor one though.

The doctor just seems resistant to getting me off the medication,

There's no benefit to the doctor from keeping you medicated and it's not like he/she is passively keeping you on (ie has forgotten you're on them) so the doctor must consider them a benefit to you.

as galling as it is to need daily medication to stay healthy, it might be time to take ownership of the situation.

rather than: I hate being on medication but the doctor won't take me off it.

try:
the medical expert thinks I should stay on my medication so I will take that opinion but make sure the doctor knows I expect to start a withdrawal plan as soon as it would benefit me to do so.

I know you're right I'm just feeling fragile. I'm tired of feeling so spacey all of the time

if you are having strong side-effects after several months/years, you may be on the wrong medication.

what did the doctor say when you described them?

He said it's a result of taking a new medication I'm on combined with ones I'm already taking. I'll get used to it, I just feel a bit rubbish right now

no you absolutely do not have to continue taking them. I would say though, that you make this very clear to your team and state you would like to come off them with appropriate support and emphasise that you have capacity to make this decision and that having support and guidance for this decision is in your best interests.

It si highly likely you should be reducing the dose very gradually, hence the reluctance on their part and hence the need for you to ask for them to guide you in this. Stopping suddenly can be a very bad idea. But you are completely within your rights to want to come off them and you should assert this right.

I agree with cafecito that you have the right to come off your meds but that doesn't mean it is right to do so.

If it was medication for any other illness, I doubt anyone would say for you to ignore medical advice and stop taking your tablets.

As with any other type of condition, medical advice should be followed but, if you're concerned, you should get a second opinion - not overrule the advice of a medical professional.