NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY POSITION
PAPER*
Re: The USE of MEDICATIONS in MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY BELIEVES THAT mental illnesses, like other forms of illness, are biological, i.e., bio-chemical, in nature; and therefore, medications, which have the potential to change the chemistry of one’s brain, are often an essential component of the effective treatment of mental illness. We also believe that, for many individuals, continuing to take medications prescribed for mental illness is essential to achieving and maintaining recovery.
We believe that every individual has the right of access to the medication or combination of medications that work best for their individual brain-chemistry, understanding as we do, that individual brain-chemistry is a product of age, gender, ethnicity, diet, lifestyle, etc. – and which also changes over time. Finding the best possible medication or combination of medications for each individual can challenge both patient and prescribing professional, but we believe it is worth the effort.
We also believe that while medications often play an important role in relieving the symptoms of mental illness and promoting recovery, they rarely do either effectively without a complementary set of non-pharmaceutical supports including therapy, family and friends, stability, housing and employment.
NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY recognizes and deplores the stigma associated with taking medications for mental illness. We also deplore misinformation regarding medications for mental illness that can pose a serious challenge for those struggling with the decision to take medications. It is common to see or hear inflammatory information suggesting that medications are routinely over-prescribed and that people with mental illness are routinely over-medicated. It is our experience that people living with mental illness are more likely to be under-medicated than over-medicated.
We also deplore what sometimes appears to be the exploitation of people with mental illness by the pharmaceutical industry. People with mental illnesses often cannot afford the medication that would work best for them, and it appears that doctors are sometimes influenced by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe certain medications for reasons other than what would work best for the patient.
NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY RECOMMENDS THAT:
Re: The USE of MEDICATIONS in MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY BELIEVES THAT mental illnesses, like other forms of illness, are biological, i.e., bio-chemical, in nature; and therefore, medications, which have the potential to change the chemistry of one’s brain, are often an essential component of the effective treatment of mental illness. We also believe that, for many individuals, continuing to take medications prescribed for mental illness is essential to achieving and maintaining recovery.
We believe that every individual has the right of access to the medication or combination of medications that work best for their individual brain-chemistry, understanding as we do, that individual brain-chemistry is a product of age, gender, ethnicity, diet, lifestyle, etc. – and which also changes over time. Finding the best possible medication or combination of medications for each individual can challenge both patient and prescribing professional, but we believe it is worth the effort.
We also believe that while medications often play an important role in relieving the symptoms of mental illness and promoting recovery, they rarely do either effectively without a complementary set of non-pharmaceutical supports including therapy, family and friends, stability, housing and employment.
NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY recognizes and deplores the stigma associated with taking medications for mental illness. We also deplore misinformation regarding medications for mental illness that can pose a serious challenge for those struggling with the decision to take medications. It is common to see or hear inflammatory information suggesting that medications are routinely over-prescribed and that people with mental illness are routinely over-medicated. It is our experience that people living with mental illness are more likely to be under-medicated than over-medicated.
We also deplore what sometimes appears to be the exploitation of people with mental illness by the pharmaceutical industry. People with mental illnesses often cannot afford the medication that would work best for them, and it appears that doctors are sometimes influenced by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe certain medications for reasons other than what would work best for the patient.
NAMI of HENNEPIN COUNTY RECOMMENDS THAT:
- People
with mental illnesses should be encouraged to work with a competent medical
professional to determine the medication or combination of medications that
will best assist the individual to recover.
- Once
the best possible medication or combination of medications for an individual
has been identified, people should be encouraged to take their medications as
prescribed.
- When
an individual with mental illness thinks it is appropriate to change or
discontinue a medication, this should always be done in consultation with a
mental health professional.
- In
many cases, an individual should continue to take medications even while
experiencing significant recovery from mental illness.
- Medications
should always be used in conjunction with other types of supports known to be
helpful in the recovery process – supports including (but not necessarily
limited to) therapy, the support of family and friends, programs offering assistance
with housing, employment, and skill development, etc..
- There
should be increased regulation and scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry:
- To
ensure fairness in the pricing of medications;
- To
ensure integrity in the marketing and prescription of medications;
- There
should be increased regulation and scrutiny of both private and public
insurance plans:
- To
ensure that standard formularies include a wide variety, both generic and
“brand-name,” of medications for the treatment of mental illnesses;
- To
ensure reasonableness in the rules allowing an individual to obtain coverage
for medications for the treatment of mental illnesses not included in a given
formulary.
- There
should not be any all stigma associated with taking medications for the
treatment of mental illnesses, and everyone, from consumers to professionals to
policy-makers to the media should make it a priority to eliminate the stigma
which currently exists.
* This Position Paper represents the opinions of the Board of Directors of NAMI of Hennepin County, and only the opinions of the Board of Directors of NAMI of Hennepin County. This Position Paper was adopted by the Board of Directors of NAMI of Hennepin County on June 8, 2015, and is subject to revision by the Board of Directors of NAMI of Hennepin County. This Position Paper represents the opinions of NAMI of Hennepin County with respect to broad public policy, and is not intended as, and should not be relied upon, as advice or guidance to any specific individual, in any specific situation, at any specific time or place.
