In the past, I have struggled to understand why it is important to take my medications as prescribed. I didn’t see why they are needed for me to operate. I couldn’t move past certain beliefs without being patient with myself. I gave grace to myself when needed. I knew that it takes time for things to improve. I wanted to be the person I remembered being, after so long not being that person. I had to stop living in denial. I needed to stop fooling around. I had to be real about taking care of myself once and for all.

I eventually realized it was important to take my medication exactly as prescribed. I needed to give it a chance to actually work. It had to be fully in my system for some time to help me get back to my old self. Many times in the past, I was unwilling to give myself time. I needed to have compassion, kindness, and grace for myself. It was necessary to understand to wait and be more proactive about being more ritualistic. The side effects bring challenges. Yet, they are not as severe as when I deviated from my medication routine.

I had to know that once I began to feel my old self again, things would improve. If I understood the need to get out and do what I needed to do, things would be better. I had to do what I had to do to become more active as I was increasingly able. This would help in battling the side effects I didn’t like. I also had to realize that being the responsible person was necessary. I was more grounded and had the mental faculties to know how to budget my calories. I understood that drinking over-caffeinated and calorie sodas was a long-standing habit. This was never the right direction towards improving my physical health.

I was no longer in denial about what I had long believed the medicine accomplished or struggled to achieve. I also had to accept my responsibilities beyond taking the medicine. This included being more rounded and making all dimensions of my wellness a priority. By taking my medications, I gained a clearer mind. This allowed my goals to become more of a reality. Slowly, these goals came to fruition. Granted, not every day was perfect. I had to accept the reality that I must take my medications exactly as prescribed. I needed to admit I needed them and also have the wish to never return to those old ways again.

At the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, I had the opportunity to see myself differently. It looked like something no one else would see. Although it was not myself, I often work in the mental health field. I often see what happens when people neglect self-care. They do not admit to an issue or know what to do to care for themselves. Seeing it in the newspaper, I realized that things get worse when people don’t take their medications. They avoid them out of belief that the medications can cause issues. Sometimes they just don’t think they need them. This neglect sets them up for their own demise. By knowing that alone, I realized going into 2026 that I no longer wanted to repeat my past actions. I finally understood that it was the wrong thing to do.