If you’ve ever been prescribed mental health medication then its unlikely you’ll have had much information about how it works or what to expect from it.
You’re even less likely to have been told how it might affect your sex drive or interact with recreational drugs.
If you watch this video you’ll see why Headmeds was so needed as a Labs project.
And what about if you try to come off your medication?
HeadMeds launched in March 2014 with information on the 21 medications most commonly used by young people. By the end of the year the site had seen nearly 100,000 sessions, over 83,000 users and nearly 230,000 page views.
Medication Experiences
During that time its also increased its number of real life stories to 24 video and written interviews of young people’s experiences of mental health medication. Through the site and its social media networks YoungMinds has connected to more and more young people who have come forward to share.
Between October and November YoungMinds invested in Google AdWords to boost HeadMeds’ visibility in search for the conditions covered, medication concerns and the questions young people might not want to ask their GP, such as ‘Can I drink or smoke weed on this medication?’
As well as via Google, many site users come to Headmeds through the YoungMinds website. The YM blog links to HeadMeds whenever its talking about medication. Its hard to imagine many other UK sites with the same reach and power to connect young people and parents with a site like Headmeds.
The Future
The YoungMinds team hopes to add more medications which young people have told them are missing. Providing clinically accurate information in a way that young people can easily consume isn’t straightforward or cheap. Content has to be meticulously accurate and accessible so the team are applying for funds to commission a medical professional to provide clinical input for the extra work.
Good luck Headmeds!
