The Unexpected Benefits of Mental Health Medication

Taking medication improved more than just my moods. In this blog, I reflect on the surprising side benefits I never expected.

It is good to reflect on the importance of mental health—regardless of gender or age—and the crucial role medication can play.

One of the unexpected personal discoveries I've made over the years is the range of side benefits that come with taking medication for bipolar disorder and depression. Yes, my brain works better, my mind is clearer, and thinking requires far less effort. But other symptoms, ones I’d grown used to, have also faded away.

One was something I used to call “my brain falling off a cliff”. It felt like that moment when you fall asleep sitting up on a train—your head drops forward, then suddenly jerks back. Except for me, this same jolt happened inside my brain while I was fully awake. It could strike when I was sitting, standing, even walking. It came in waves, lasting days or even weeks, and nothing I did could stop it.

Years later, I heard others with bipolar disorder describe a similar feeling—like electric shocks in the brain. I suspect we were describing the same thing. I’d had that sensation since my teens, but in recent years, it’s faded. And now, it’s gone.

Another symptom resurfaced briefly a couple of weeks ago. I’d forgotten about it—until it returned for a few days. It’s that experience of waking up with a low-level but all-encompassing fear and anxiety, in both brain and body. It’s not as intense as some panic attacks I’ve had, but still disconcerting.

The thoughts that accompany it are always the same: “I’m not enough. I haven’t achieved enough. Nothing I do will make a difference.”

This time, I took a different approach. I didn’t try to fight it or solve it. I just focused on what I could do. I sat down for breakfast and paid attention to the taste of the food. Washing my face became a moment of awareness—feeling the warmth of the water and the texture of the towel. Walking to the coffee shop, I noticed the motion of my feet in my shoes. I followed the priority list I’d made the night before. And at some point, I realised the fear had gone. It lasted three days and hasn’t returned. Will this approach work every time? I honestly don’t know.

But what I do know is this: when your brain and body work without effort, it’s not a given. It’s a blessing.