Tips to Make Taking Medication for Schizoaffective Disorder Easier

Most people think that the reason taking medication for schizoaffective disorder is difficult is because of the side effects such as weight gain or fatigue. While these problems are major factors, many other causes contribute to the challenge. What I’m going to focus on in this article is that taking medication for schizoaffective disorder can be physically hard to take and hard to organize. That said, I believe one of the reasons I’m doing so well after 20 years with schizoaffective disorder can be credited to my compliance with medication. Here are some tips I’ve picked up over the years that can make taking medication for schizoaffective disorder easier.

Taking Medication for Schizoaffective Disorder Tips and Tricks

Take Your Medication for Schizoaffective Disorder at the Time of Day Your Doctor Tells You To

I take most of my medication at night. This is because my psychiatrist said it’s okay to do so. You should check with your doctor before changing when during the day you take your medication. Otherwise, continue to take it at the times the doctor indicated when prescribing it.

The reason I take most of my medication at night is that I have a weak stomach in the morning. As a teenager, I used to avoid eating breakfast because I sometimes felt some nausea and just didn’t want to put anything in my stomach. But now I know that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and I try to at least eat some yogurt. However, one of my medications is supposed to be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, so I take that before I eat my yogurt. Others require food. The fact that I don’t eat much in the morning is another reason I take most of my medication at night.

It’s Hard Being on a Cocktail of Schizoaffective Medication

I get it. It’s hard to be on so many pills. I get it because I take a handful of medication every night for depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder. There are some things I do that make it more manageable, though.

I make sure I’m hydrated. I drink water or tea before I take my medication. I also have a little snack before taking my medication at night so that there’s something in my stomach to cushion all those pills.

It’s Important to Organize Schizoaffective Medication

I recommend buying a weekly organizer for your pills. I organize my schizoaffective medication every weekend before I take my pills at night so that I’m not sleepy as I sort it out. The fact that some of my medication makes me sleepy is another reason I take it at night. I also recommend getting one that has both A.M. and P.M. boxes for each day of the week, so that if you do take some medication in the morning you don’t get mixed up (How to Stay on Psych Medication).

What are your practical tips for making sure you take your medication? I’d love to see your strategies below in the comments.