It's a staggering statistic – 1 in 6 people in the U.S. take drugs to manage their mental health. Antidepressants top the list, while anxiety then antipsychotic medications follow. It's not surprising that many of those who take medications often forget them due to their chaotic lives. Shuttling children to various activities or jumping from work to a family obligation leaves little room in your memory. The last thing on your mind may be to take the next dose of your mental health med. And it's possible that you forgot what you did this morning after walking the dog.
Mental Health Awareness Month springs up in May each year, and Vaughn Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN, wants to help with medication and compliance awareness. The first step to understanding how important it is to take your prescription is to realize the effects you'll face if you don't take your mental health medication as intended.
I Forgot to Take My Meds Again - No Biggie, right?
Forgetting or neglecting to take medications for your mental health condition impacts you more than you may know. Even if you feel fine and think, why bother with this prescription, it is important to stay compliant with your medication. Vaughn Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN, knows how important keeping on top of meds is. Leaving a serious mental illness untreated may cause mood swings, angry or even violent outbursts, and possibly suicidal thoughts.
Side effects resulting from missing medication include –
- Antidepressant withdrawal – If you stop taking your antidepressants too abruptly, flu-like or stomach-bug symptoms can start to creep in. Even worse, disturbing thoughts or images may plague your mind.
- Worsen or prolong symptoms – You'll be fighting an uphill battle if you go too long from taking prescription medication. Symptoms can worsen, and it'll take longer for you to feel better.
- Suicidal thoughts – This notorious and often-heard warning on commercials should be enough for you to take your medication compliance seriously. Vaughn Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN, wants you to be aware of this possibility. If you skip or miss doses and harmful thoughts enter your mind, knowledge is power, and being aware of the effect can lead you to get help ASAP.
- Chain reaction of symptoms – Stopping or frequently forgetting one particular medication can cause a daisy chain of effects and lead to headaches, insomnia, or pain.
- General side-effects/withdrawal – Like taking medicine causes side effects, neglecting to take them does the same thing. Some withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, fatigue, sleeping problems, vomiting, headaches, and a barrage of other general unwellness.
Making Mental Health Medication Compliance a Little Easier At Vaughn Pharmacy
We know it's hard, or even annoying and inconvenient, to remember to take your medications. We're also aware of how important it is. We've proactively come up with a solution to help you wade the waters of remembering your medications so you can take them on time Every time.
Vaughn Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN, has created the VIP Pill Boxes for our customers. This way, you don't have to juggle all those different bottles with a load of confusing instructions. We handle all of it for you. So, when it's time for you to take your medicine, it's as simple as opening a packet. The packets are jammed with all the information you need, what, when, and how to take the prescribed amount. Even if you're dealing with a liquid dose of the doctor's orders, we provide a pre-printed reminder. In addition, when you get your packets, you'll notice that they're already sorted by the time and date of the following dose.
Vaughn Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN, offers VIP Pill Boxes, a simple solution that provides many benefits.
- First of all, pulling off the next packet in the provided roll guarantees you're not double-dosing or missing anything. If you can't remember if you popped your last pill after inhaling your oatmeal, you'll easily be able to tell by looking at your packet to see what's next.
- Are you planning a weekend away? You simply have to rip off the packets for the days you'll be gone and take them when the time comes up. This way, you're not cramming a bunch of rigid plastic bottles in your overnight bag.
- Sick of struggling with child-proof bottles or iron-clad blister packs? Ripping one off the roll and swiftly swallowing the medication will keep your frustration at bay.
- Save time and space by avoiding loading pillboxes of your own. You also won't have to count out the pills in each daily compartment or worry about times of day and how your box lays out.
Vaughn Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN's VIP Pill Boxes work for more than just mental health medications. But, keeping on top of this type of medicine serves as a crucial part of your well-being. If you neglect to adhere to the doctor's directions on your medications, you can affect your physical health and mental well-being. Remaining on top of these drugs will keep your mental health in check.
Your Hometown Pharmacy Since 1966
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Vaughn Pharmacy is a local, family-owned pharmacy serving the community in Powell, TN. Specializing in providing personalized and attentive prescription programs to our patients, we believe you are more than just a number – you’re part of our family!
(865) 947-1581