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Ask The Doctor Hi, How do we find the right balance of medication that allows our children to still 'feel' emotions? Often BPers stop taking medication because of the lack of emotions they can feel while on meds. Does such a balance even exist with this illness? Thanks, Michelle Kay Jamison, in “An Unquiet Mind” provides the best description I’ve ever heard of the need for a balance between symptom containment and experiencing creativity and emotions. It is critical to establish a real TEAM approach between prescribing physician, child and parents. All need to be honest with each other and provide useful feedback. If the child clearly takes responsibility for taking medicine and acknowledging symptoms it enhances his or her cause when raising legitimate concerns. Similarly, if parents can engage their children/teens in discussions of medication, allowing them to state their candid opinions without negating their point of view, children/teens will be more likely to speak out assertively (but not act out by forgoing medicine). Finally, an open-minded prescribing physician who welcomes input will want to know issues that could interfere with adherence, and should be asking about any negative feelings about the medicine. Mary A. Fristad, PhD |
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