Medication and mental health recovery

Healthwatch Tower Hamlets undertook research on the views of mental health service users about medication and recovery. They spoke to 105 mental health service users between October and November 2016 to understand the impact of medication on their quality of life and recovery. 

Most respondents were positive about their medication and felt it helped them manage their mental health, improve their quality of life, maintain stability and function day to day. Many said medication helped them sleep better, feel calmer, improve relationships and participate more in social activities. However, side effects were a major concern, with weight gain, tiredness, lethargy and drowsiness reported most frequently.

While most people felt comfortable discussing medication with mental health professionals and believed their concerns were listened to, many felt that better information should be provided about side effects. Respondents also strongly supported a more holistic approach to recovery, including talking therapies, exercise, sport, volunteering, social activities and complementary therapies alongside medication. More than half said they had not been offered alternative forms of support when first prescribed medication.

Healthwatch Tower Hamlets concluded that medication is an important part of recovery for many people but should not be the sole focus of treatment. The report recommended better management of medication side effects, stronger collaboration between GPs, mental health professionals and pharmacists, improved access to information and community support, greater promotion of physical activity and wellbeing programmes, and increased opportunities for service users to influence improvements in mental health services.