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I love when something I say leads a client to an “aha” moment. At times, I am really surprised by what comments do. Yet, just as much as I love those moments, I love when something a client says provides me an “aha” moment. I learn so much from my clients.

One of those moments occurred in a group I was running recently regarding skills for decreasing our reactivity to strong emotions. Not surprisingly, one of those skills involves taking medication as prescribed. Explaining this often leads to a conversation about people’s resistance to taking psychiatric medication.

There is a lot of it!

I fully support people’s decisions regarding whether they want to try medication. I don’t think it should be the first line of defense. Rather, I would much prefer people at least give psychotherapy a try.

At the same, medications can be a game changer. Sometimes symptoms are too severe to allow clients to develop new skills or thought patterns. There are also times when the physiological component of their symptoms is simply too strong to be fully addressed by psychotherapy. I am truly thankful for the relief medication can bring. I also like to remind people that trying medication under the supervision of a psychiatrist does not commit them to remaining on medication.

Once people decide to try medication, there are lots of things that can get in the way of them taking them as prescribed. Shockingly, that makes them a lot less effective! Memory is a big barrier and I have tricks for that. However, another big barrier is a misguided belief that the symptoms are in one’s mind and that if one is strong-minded, they don’t need medication.

Ouch! Nothing like kicking yourself while you are down with this belief. Just as awful is when friends and family react with similar statements.

My typical response to this line of thinking is to explain that, for many, psychiatric medications are no different than insulin for diabetics. They are a necessary assistance for a body that is not performing necessary functions.

During this particular discussion, however, one of my group participants shared the way they think about it. I loved it and have been sharing it ever since.

This gentleman made a distinction between the mind and the brain. It may not be completely scientific, but it is, in my opinion, so accurate.

He explained that our minds are responsible for our behaviors and our thoughts. It is our minds that can be helped by psychotherapy. Our minds can learn behavioral and cognitive skills. We have more control over what happens in our minds.

Our brains, on the other hand, are an organ. Like any organ in our body, it can malfunction. We often have little control over our brain’s function. This is where psychiatric medication becomes important. It restores proper function.

“AHA!” I love this distinction! I will be using it from now on…though I promise to not take credit for it J

The decision to take medication for mental health symptoms is a hard one and is often arrived at with a lot of thought. It is so painful for people to continually challenge its effectiveness with their belief that it makes them weak. It is also incredibly painful when loved ones undermine their decision with similar feedback. My hope is that distinguishing between the brain and the mind can bring some relief and understanding to many.

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