Taking Medicine Is Hard, but Help Is Out There
Niki Jurbergs, PhD, is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her research focuses on understanding the cognitive and psychological impact of pediatric cancer.
Taking medicine exactly as prescribed is one of the most important parts of a care and treatment plan. Doctors call this “medication adherence.” It sounds really easy: Just take your medicine when and how the care team tells you to.
But the truth is, keeping up with your medicines can be a lot harder than people think. You might forget to take a dose. The side effects may make you feel worse rather than better. Or maybe you wonder why you even need a certain medicine.
These challenges are common. Many patients face them. Taking your medicine as directed is a skill that might require practice. If taking medicine feels hard sometimes, that is OK. There are many tools out there that can help make taking medicine easier.
Why taking medicine can be hard
You may struggle to take your medicines as prescribed for many reasons. Sometimes it is the medicine itself. Some medicines taste bad. Some pills are hard to swallow. Some cause side effects, and some need to be taken at specific times.
Maybe you forget to take your medicine. If you have many medicines to take, it can be a challenge to remember when to take them all. Things get even harder when the prescriptions change.
For some people, it is about how taking medicine makes you feel. You might not like taking medicine in public because your friends might see. Going to school with medication can feel embarrassing. Traveling with medications can feel like extra work.
Perhaps you are unsure whether the medicine is helping.
Or maybe you are just tired of being reminded that you are sick.
If taking medicine is hard for you, it does not mean you are failing. It just means you might need help to make it easier for you.
What can help?
There are many ways to make taking medicine easier. For example, you can use a pill organizer, set alarms, or add a medication app to your phone to help you remember to take medicines on time. Some people find it helpful to link taking medicine with another daily habit. So you may take it right before you brush your teeth or after you eat breakfast.
Some patients practice swallowing small candies to help them learn how to swallow larger pills. Watch this video to learn how to teach your child to swallow a pill.
If the medicine tastes bad, ask your care team how to make the medicine taste better. For some medicines, you can add flavoring options. For others, there are different forms of the medicine you can try, like a pill, a chewable or dissolvable tablet, or liquid.
Things like a pill-swallowing cup or different kinds of drink containers can help you learn to swallow a pill. Or you can practice with small candies to build up your confidence.
If you are unsure why you need a certain medicine, it is OK to ask questions. Understanding how a medicine works and why it is important can make it easier to stay on track. You might learn that a medicine helps prevent future problems, even if you do not feel different right away. Knowing these things can make a big difference in how you feel about taking your medicines.
Where to go for help
Talking to someone you trust can help when you feel discouraged or overwhelmed. You can always start with your care team. A nurse, a mental health care provider, or a pharmacist are great people to start with. You might also talk with a trusted friend or family member. Sometimes, just saying out loud, “This is hard,” can open the door to new ideas and support.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person might not work for another. The key is to speak up and explore options that fit your needs and lifestyle. You deserve to feel heard and supported.
Asking for help shows you care about your health
Some patients and families worry that admitting challenges with taking medicine makes them look like they are not doing a good job. But here is the truth: It does not.
Taking medicine is hard. Asking for help is brave.
Whether you are a child, teen, or adult, whether you are taking 1 medicine or 20, it is OK to say, “I need support.” That is what your care team is there for. They want to help you succeed, not judge you.
By talking about these challenges openly, we can help remove the stigma. No one should feel ashamed of struggling with something that is genuinely hard. You deserve to feel safe, understood, and empowered.
