Emerging adult identity following adolescent experiences with psychotropic medications: A retrospective study

This study examines the perceptions of mental illness identity among a group of emerging adults based on their retrospective experiences with diagnoses and psychotropic medication use during their earlier formative adolescent years. A short questionnaire was administered via online social media platforms to volunteers between the ages of 19 and 30 and who self-identified as having taken psychotropic medication between the ages of 12 and 18 (N = 46). Correlation analysis revealed that several variables were associated with a stronger illness identity, including participant’s happiness with their medication experiences, the belief that medication made them more like their “true” selves, and the belief that their diagnosis was accurate. Content analysis of participant narratives suggested themes related to discontinuation and barriers to adherence. These results contribute to the growing knowledge base around lived experiences of psychiatric medication use and suggest further study on how to advance more informed and compassionate mental health care.