Reflections: Getting Empowered Through Self-Education

If you long ago obtained and read through your drug label(s), then that knowledge will serve you well moving forward in Taper. But if this was the first time you’ve searched out and read this information closely, then there’s a good chance that you may be feeling some new levels of concern, worry, or disturbance right now. Maybe you’re feeling angry with yourself, wondering why it never crossed your mind to track down this information prior to starting medications. Perhaps you are even feeling a sense of betrayal—why didn’t your prescriber share this drug label with you before? Well, most of us at TWP, along with many of our fellows in the lay withdrawal community, have been there. It can take time to really work through the complex and deep emotions that arise when we begin to educate ourselves about the drugs we’ve been putting in our bodies for extended periods of time. Many strong emotions can crop up.

However, what you are doing now is different. You are choosing to move ahead, into a future in which there are countless opportunities to begin taking back your agency, your body, your mind, and your life. You’ve just tapped into a tremendous well of power by beginning to educate yourself about your medications.