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The question was submitted 08/02/2008

Subject: medication

I dont feel my medication is working I feel everyone is trying to trick me they feel I am faking. I think they gave me a fake drug I feel ok at home and familiar places but i cant face work I know they all hate me I know they want me dead they wont stop until I am dead discredited and my family all turn against me. I couldnt function at work I couldnt face people at church sometimes I dont want to live. This medication is fake could they do that to me?

Answer from DepNet

Thank you for your email. You sound as though your experiences at present are quite distressing. It seems you have a sense of not being able to trust others, cannot easily relate to them at present, cannot easily function at work. You also seem to feel very much embattled and under attack.
Mental illness can be very isolating. Especially when things are happening to your mind it can result in your feeling very far from your old self.
It can be hard to trust your doctors, especially if treatments are not working as well as you wish (or sometimes not working at all).
It can take some time and several trials of treatment to sort out the best medicine for you that is both tolerated and works.
Obviously it is essential you take any medicine on a regular basis as prescribed, and do not miss out medicines.
Many treatments in psychiatry can take weeks or months to work.
Do share your concerns with your treating doctor, as well as your perception the medicine is not working, and the other problems you are having.
Sometimes it is just a case of staying on medicines for a longer time so they have enough time to work.
Other times you may need to change to another treatment to get one that works.
This is a common situation and your doctor should be pleased to hear your views on how things are going, and to discuss with you either how long you may have to take medicine before it works, or how to change to another medicine if that is indicated.
It is really worth persisting with treatment but also talking with your doctor about your concerns so they can best help you with that.
All the best for the future.

The answer was published on DepNet 12/02/2008