Patients must not throw away medical advice

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Accusations and theories are flying around with reference to Sushant Singh Rajput's death, and verbal jousting and bashing have fired up social media. While so many reasons are being. touted and individuals claim they know the real reason, and a court case has also been filed somewhere, the overarching message about this tragedy is the importance of mental health.

While this controversy was on a slow simmer and now has burst into flames, we have to see the larger picture.

Looking beyond Rajput's case, at times, mental health problems cannot be simply solved through counselling, intervention or talking to someone, but they may be a helpful first step.

When a medical professional prescribes medication, it is in the patient's best interests to take the medication, in the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Revisits are important and if the dosage is upped or lessened, whatever be the case, one has to follow it to a T.

One may think this is common sense, that it is obvious one needs to follow the doctor's orders. Yet, when it comes to mental health, this seems to become more complicated than ever.

Those affected may agree that they are ill and need medical attention, but not that sick that they need medication. Psychiatrists rue that patients are unwilling to take medication, or do so extremely reluctantly. They also stop taking medication midway, concluding that they feel well. Unlike physical illness, mental ailments may not have tangible, outward markers, so the patient starts believing that he or she is well.

It would do well for patients to complete the medication as it is given for a reason by professionals who guide the dosage. Throwing medical advice to the wind and taking decisions by oneself, because symptoms may not be as obvious as in the case of physical illness, is extremely dangerous.

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