Why and how people decide to stop taking prescribed psychiatric medication: exploring the subjective process of choice.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the piling evidence supporting the effectiveness of psychiatric medication, research has consistently shown that only about half of those administered treatment actually take it as prescribed. The purpose of the present study was to explore why and how people with a serious mental illness (SMI) choose to stop taking prescribed medication. METHOD: Seven persons with SMI who had been prescribed and had used medication in the past, but had not taken medication for at least a year, participated in semi-structured interviews, which were recorded and later transcribed. Qualitative analysis provided a foundation for sketching a hypothesized five-stage model of the process involved in choosing to stop medication. RESULTS: This study revealed the subjective experience of taking medication, dilemmas it evokes, and the struggle to develop a personal perspective, plan and choice with regard to medication use. CONCLUSIONS: Implications of these findings are discussed, emphasizing the importance of the "doctor-patient" relationship context.