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texangael -> RE: mental issues and drugs (2/14/2010 8:26:48 AM)
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quote:
I don't have any mental issues that i know of, so i am coming from a position of ignorance, but could someone explain to me why drugs seem to be many times the treatment of choice versus intense therapy?
Some "issues" are not amenable to therapy. Bipolar disorders will not be talked away, for example.
Major depression, triggered largely by imbalances of serotonin and norepinephrine, is more neurologica/physiological than psychological in nature (although the impact of major stressors in producing the initial imbalance can be quite significant). Therapy has value in such cases but oftentimes is insufficient on its own to restore proper balance.
Moreover, therapy and medication are complementary, not contradictory, as this article from the Mayo Clinic articulates:
quote:
Making antidepressants work for you There are several steps you can take to get the best results: - Be patient. Once you and your doctor have selected an antidepressant, it may take four to eight weeks for it to be fully effective. In some cases, it may take 12 to 14 weeks to achieve the full effects of an antidepressant. And with some medications, you can take the full dosage immediately. With others, you may need to gradually increase your dose. Talk to your doctor or therapist about coping with depression symptoms as you wait for medications to take effect.
- See if the side effects improve. Many antidepressants cause side effects that improve with time. For example, initial side effects when starting an SSRI can include nausea, loose bowel movements, headache and insomnia, but these symptoms usually go away as your body adjusts to the antidepressant. Sexual side effects may be eased by adding or substituting bupropion.
- If it doesn't work — try something else. If you have no significant improvement in your symptoms after six weeks, talk to your doctor about trying a different antidepressant (switching) or adding a second antidepressant or another medication (augmentation). A medication combination may work better for you than does a single antidepressant.
- Take your antidepressant consistently and at the correct dose. If your medication doesn't seem to be working or is causing bothersome side effects, call your doctor before making any changes.
- Don't stop taking an antidepressant without talking to your doctor first. Some antidepressants can cause significant withdrawal-like symptoms unless you slowly taper off your dose.
- Try psychotherapy. In most cases, combining an antidepressant with mental health counseling (psychotherapy) is more effective than taking an antidepressant alone. It can also help prevent your depression from returning once you're feeling better.
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