no more teachers' dirty looks
suggested he attend for monthly blood tests to keep an eye on things.
Adam is currently compiling a list of studies on the
advantages and disadvantages of stopping treatment. He wants to help
others make any decision to stop from a place of informed choice.
People deciding to stop may gain a lot in quality of life but they also
face a loss: of the promise brought to them by starting treatment. Depression
can arise out of this. At this point I always recommend taking up something
new: going to the gym, a regular massage, going on holiday or renewing
an old acquaintance. This gets away from the perception that stopping
treatment means 'I've given up'.
On reflection, maybe comparing non-adherence to truancy is wrong. No one
is being 'bad', and the issues behind taking these complex medicines are
huge. At least having someone in the community to offer support can open
doors for many people.
(In
this article all characters' names have been altered)
page 5 of 5
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