The importance of sticking with your treatment plan
There are many reasons why adults and adolescents struggle to stick with their treatment plan. But skipping appointments can interfere with your recovery. Learn what you can do to get back, or stay, on course.
Have you ever had a treatment plan that you didn’t follow for one reason or another?
You may have skipped appointments after a diagnosis, or not made appointments that your doctor recommended.
When life gets busy, it can be easy to stray from the plan you discussed with your doctor. This is called nonadherence, and it can make managing your health condition much more difficult. However, missing opportunities to check in with health care providers can cause us to lose focus on the changes we want to make. We may miss important guidance would make a difference in our thinking or behavior. This can lead to reverting to old patterns.
You may have had a prescription but never filled it. Or maybe you stopped taking your medication without discussing it with your doctor. In one recent study, more than 50% of people didn’t take their medication as prescribed. And 44% stopped taking it completely within three months.
You may feel much better before you have finished your treatment. It can be tempting to think you no longer need your medication or need to speak to a therapist. But many treatments need to be continued for months to prevent symptoms from coming back.
Once you have a better understanding of why it can be tough to stay on a treatment plan, it can be easier to stay (or get back) on track. Here are some common reasons adults may not stick to their treatment, along with some tips for how to handle them.
1. Stigma
Many adults feel that there is stigma around certain kinds of treatment. In one study, patients who reported shame over a diagnosis had higher rates of nonadherence to their medications.
If you’re struggling with how you feel about your condition or treatment, it’s important to reach out for help. Talking with your doctor or a mental health provider can help you overcome those tough feelings. Plus, it can help to know that needing treatment is pretty common. In 2019, more than 50 million people in the United States were taking medication for a mental health condition. Taking care of your health is important and will only make you stronger.
2. You have questions
Maybe you’ve heard about a negative experience someone had with a treatment. Or perhaps you see a social media post that sways your opinion about your prescription medication.
In situations like these, it’s important to rely on sources you know you can trust. When you have questions about your medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist for the answers you need. Both can explain how the medication works, potential side effects, and even the best time to take it.
The medication’s package insert is another great place to find basic information that may answer immediate questions.
3. You’re impatient to see a change
When you have a diagnosis and a treatment plan, you want your treatment to start working right away. But it can take time to see improvements from mental health treatments.
If you don’t feel like your treatment is working, you may be tempted to stop taking it. But stopping treatment on your own can have negative outcomes. One study even found that nonadherence can put people at higher risk of relapsing a year later.
Keep up with your appointments and any therapy or counseling that’s part of your treatment plan. Your care team can tell you how much longer you should continue with your treatment and guide you along the way.
