If you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health disorder; your health provider or loved ones may recommend medication to manage the symptoms. This is a decision worthy of research and discussion. There are many pros and cons to using medication, and many opinions as to the usefulness with this type of treatment. It can be overwhelming.
Ultimately, the decision to use medication is solely yours. It is vital to maintain a sense of control over your treatment decisions and your physical health. Medications do affect your body and your mental health. Only you can decide how much you are willing to tolerate when it comes to cost and side effects, against the benefits of medication.
I am not supporting or rejecting the use of medication. My intent is to give you a guide to make the best decision for yourself, and be a fully informed consumer.
HOW BAD IS BAD?
Step 1: How severe are the symptoms, and are they affecting your daily life? Have the symptoms increased over time? This applies to all mental health disorders, such as: anxiety, depression, PTSD, schizophrenia. If the symptoms are affecting your job, social contacts or, activities, medication may be a good choice. If you can develop an action plan to change parts of your life, medications may not be needed.
Example 1: Martha (not a real person), has been feeling bummed, and lacking energy for the past three months. She can’t concentrate at work, is eating more and gaining weight. Moreover, she’s fallen behind on a big project at work, as a coworker didn’t follow through on assignments. She recently ended a 2 year relationship with a significant other.
Example 2: Jeffrey is also experiencing feeling down and a lack of energy over the past year. He is calling in sick to work a lot, and when he’s home, he lays on the couch, and doesn’t shower, cook meals or finish chores. He has been avoiding friends.
In both examples, certain medications can reduce the symptoms of depression and increase energy and motivation. But, is medication necessary in both cases?
In example 1, Martha is experiencing very real stresses in her personal and work life, which can be improved through time, increasing skills, friends or shifting her work situation. Action may be Martha’s path to recovery, not just medication. Mental health therapy can be very helpful for Martha to work through her issues, and create an action plan.
Example 2, Jeffrey is solidly in a major depressive episode. He is having symptoms that have increased over the past year. He risks losing his job, and seems to be unable to follow through with daily self-care. In this case, it may be very difficult for Jeffery to self-motivate to improve his condition, as his brain chemistry is altered from depressive symptoms. Medication may be an effective first line treatment, along with therapy, to increase Jeffery’s ability to function in his life.
Of course, any level of suicidal thoughts and/or plans, require immediate attention from a mental health professional and/or your health provider, regardless if you are taking medications or not.
HISTORY
Step 2: Review the history of the mental health disorder. Have you experienced an episode before? If so, for how long, and what helped to resolve it? If you are answering “yes, I have a history of XX”, it’s not a requirement to take medication, but I encourage you to consider this as a tool. The longer a mental health disorder goes unchecked, or multiple episodes of symptoms are occurring, needs a stronger intervention.
MEDICAL HISTORY AND SIDE EFFECTS
Step 3: Review your health history and ability to tolerate side effects. Any medication has some level of side effects. These range from sleepiness, or reduced appetite, to severe anxiety and/or suicidal thoughts. Usually, side effects have a very small effect and subside over time.
If you can easily tolerate medications, this issue won’t worry you. If you are sensitive to medications, have medication allergies and/or complex health issues such as heart disease, diabetes etc, discuss this with your health provider as it may impact which medications to use. In addition, start the medication at the lowest dosage and taper up over time. This can help to manage side effects. Stay in close contact with your health provider to monitor the benefits and/or side effects. Some medications require blood work to monitor effects on the liver, blood sugars etc. In this case, it is essential to follow through with the required lab tests, so your provider can track possible health risks.
PATIENCE
Step 4: Review the severity of symptoms, and you’re ability to be patient. Medication can take up to 6 weeks before you feel the full benefit. This can be a difficult time, as you are starting a treatment, when you are experiencing challenging symptoms. If your symptoms are light to moderate, and you can follow through with making life changes, consider skipping medication and gain emotional support and counseling instead. If your symptoms are moderate to severe, strongly consider medication and remain in close contact with your health provider. Add a counselor/therapist/psychologist to your health team, as they will have more contact with you than a typical doctor or nurse practitioner.
MEDICATION OR TRADITIONAL TREATMENT?
Step 5: Is using mainstream medication the only intervention? The answer is “No”. There are many choices depending on the type of symptoms you are having. Acupuncture is well known to manage anxiety, addiction cravings and chronic pain. Massage is a useful for chronic pain, tension and anxiety. Naturopaths and Chinese Medicine have effective treatments that lack the chemical harshness of mainstream medications. Bio feedback is can reduce anxiety and phobias. At times, a combination of above treatments can be useful to manage the symptoms. You have a right to decide which treatment is effective for you. If something doesn’t work, try something different until you have created a combination that helps you feel better.
DURATION
Step 6 is really a closing thought. “Is medication forever?”. Once again, this answer is unique to you. We know the longer you take a medication, the more effective it is when you decide to stop taking it. Medication treatments are encouraged for a minimum of one year for this reason. Again, this isn’t a requirement, but if you choose medication, commit to the treatment to assure that it is, or isn’t working for you. For some people, remaining on medication for the rest of their lives may be a good option. Most importantly, mental health medication is a “symptom management tool” and not a cure. The purpose of medication is to re-balance your brain chemistry, so you can feel good enough to make the needed changes in your life. My bias: In the beginning, medication alone is rarely useful as people need to make some type of shift in their thinking, habits or life, if they want to experience long term relief. Medication can be an excellent tool, and should remain on your list of choices to consider.
If you want to know more, please contact me for a free consultation.