It’s not unusual for people to stop taking their anti-depressants. And while this can be confusing and frustrating to others, a careful consideration of the reasons behind this common occurrence can help end this cycle.

Called non-compliance, researchers have concluded that people stop taking medication because of negative side effects, delayed improvements in their condition, and lack of knowledge regarding the possible effects of the medicine. Read more →

Recently I read an AP article entitled Experts: Troubled patients may go off meds. This article used the recent college shootings by Steven Kazmierczak as an example of someone who stopped taking a psychiatric drug and then “lost it.” In a nutshell, the article goes on to explain reasons that people go off medications and gives first-hand accounts of people who need to take medicine.

Now obviously there are millions of people who take anti-depressants or other medicines for mental illnesses. And many of these people have stopped taking their medicine (or will in the future) for one reason or another. And very, very few of these people make the headlines for infamous actions. Read more →