Community pharmacies can play an important role in helping patients manage their mental health. They are easily accessible and available to talk to you about your mental health and can refer you to other mental health professionals if necessary.

Here are some of the ways your pharmacist can support you.

Accessible support

Knowing that you can walk in off the street and speak to a health professional who can provide advice or referral can be reassuring. Many pharmacists have also undergone additional training in mental health.

Medication-related questions

While not all mental health treatments involve medication, medication is used in a number of treatment plans. Some medicines also work better for some people and not others, so your doctor might trial different medicines to find the one that works best for you.

You may have questions about:

• Dosage instructions, using and storing medicines effectively
• Side effects
• Drug interactions, including the use of non-prescription medicines and supplements
• Repeat prescriptions
• Help with compliance aids such as Dose Administration Aids to ensure medicines are taken at the correct time

Your community pharmacist is a medicines expert and is there to answer your questions and provide advice and support

Co-morbidities

If you are taking a number of medicines for multiple conditions, then you should speak to your community pharmacist about undertaking a medicines review. It is important to review medicines regularly to identify any possible drug interactions or side effects. Many people suffering mental health problems also have poor physical health. Your community pharmacy offers a number of screening and monitoring services such as blood glucose testing, cholesterol testing and blood pressure monitoring. Your pharmacist can refer you to a doctor if more investigation is required.

Stopping medication

Some medicines need to be taken for a specific period of time to reach a therapeutic level, and with other medicines it’s important that you are slowly weaned off them rather than stopping suddenly. People very often consider coming off their medication when they start feeling better, but this can often result in a return of symptoms. Speak to your pharmacist if you have any questions about how a medicine works and whether it’s safe to stop taking a medicine. Your pharmacist can provide you with information about any withdrawal symptoms and risks and refer you to your doctor if required.

Monitoring Adherence

Safe and effective use of medication means that it’s important that you take the recommended dose at the right time of the day and for the correct length of time. When filling your script your pharmacist may notice that you are taking more or less of the medication than has been prescribed. Your pharmacist is not just a source for information about medicines, they are also a great resource for problem-solving. If you are struggling to remember to take your medicines or are experiencing side effects, speak to your pharmacist. They might suggest ways to minimise side effects or a Dose Administration Aid to help you to remember what pills to take when. Your pharmacy may also offer a prescription re-fill reminder to help you to remember to get your scripts renewed.

You can speak to Louise, Stacey and the team at Capital Chemist Southlands. They are located at the Mawson Shopping Centre and have a wealth of knowledge and decades of experience in community pharmacy.