Erase the stigma.
My favorite less confrontational tactic for dealing with this shit is to politely point out that without my meds, I would be dead.
There is inevitable backpedaling and much hee-hawing about how it’s “fine for SOME people” but is “overused”.
To which my response is “what qualifies you to judge that?” followed by “statements like this helped contribute to my delaying necessary health care, and made me ashamed. I could have died. You like me. Would you rather I weren’t here?”
That’s the less confrontational version.
I usually just let them have it with both barrels. Cause this shit is toxic and needs to be destroyed.
I appreciate that phrasing. It’s what got my dad off my back finally - he’s always been anti meds, until the day he made a crack about “happy pills” and I snapped “ok well, those pills are keeping me alive. If you like me being that way, shut up about them.”
And I mean, these images don’t even take into account someone like me. The outdoors is absolutely a mental health support for me…but going to the redwoods is not, never has been, never will be, a substitute for the medication that keeps my broken brain functional. I need both because they fulfill entirely different mental health needs.
If anyone ever says something about how antidepressants are not necessary or “overused” or some other BULLSHIT, politely (or not politely, I don’t care) ask them whether they believe that all diabetics should forgo insulin, since some diabetics can control their blood sugar relatively well with diet/exercise. If they say no, they’re probably an asshole.
