Introducing the topic of medication can be chellnging, especially when someone is resistant.Whenever I am faced with this in my private practice I rely heavily on comparitive techniques and highlighting the importance of autonamy to the client. Comparive techniques usually include a comparison starting with questions like "If someone you loved had diabetes, would you discourage them from taking medication?" or "If someone broke their leg, would you expect them to refuse pain medication to relieve their pain?". This technique usually highlights that mental health is comparible to physcial health and that there is no shame in relying on medicaiton short-term or long-term if there is a symptom that is disrupting their ability to live their lives optimally. Secondly, I focus on reassuring them that their autonomy will never be in danger. They will always have a choice whether or not they want to continue taking the medication. When people are hesitant they tend to see it as an "either / or" situation, creating a false dilemma for themselves. Where in reality, they will always have their autonomy and can decide to stop taking the medication at any stage if they want to. These usually start opening up conversations and their willingness top consider it as an option. However, it is always a process and patience is key when working with any cleints struggling with mental health.
While it's important to present all options to clients, including medication, at the end of the day, clients are the experts of their own lives, and if they don't want to take medication, that's their decision. For folks who are grappling with the stigma of medication though, I present it this way: if you have the flu, you take Tamiflu; if you have a stomachache, you might take Tums; taking medication for anxiety or depression is no different.