WHAT IS MEDICATION MANAGEMENT ?
Many psychiatric disorders will require a two-pronged approach for successful treatment: medication combined with therapy or counseling. A psychiatric provider can prescribe medication to help with anything from ADHD to anxiety to depression. Medication management is a vital part of this equation, as not all medications will be received or tolerated by patients in the same way.
That’s why monitoring medications, their side effects, and their possible interactions with other medications is critical. This can seem pretty scary, especially if you’ve never taken such medications before or have taken them before but experienced bad side effects.
Because our mental well-being is directly connected to our overall physical health, stress and trauma can leave us feeling anxious, hopeless and overwhelmed. When these feelings go untreated for long periods of time, major psychological and physical illnesses can result. In addition, associated behaviors can become addictive and destructive.
That’s why it’s equally as important to have regular physicals and checkups from your primary care physician. The other part of the equation is to get regular mental health checkups too.
WHAT TO EXPECT ?
Initially, the medication will be prescribed for a trial period to observe and monitor its effectiveness. This is where the “medication management” portion of psychiatric care comes into play. If the treatment is meeting the patient’s goals, the patient will be advised to keep moving forward. However, different medications affect brain chemistry in different ways, so not everyone will respond well to a particular prescription.
In addition to medication, other forms of treatment such as counseling, life management skills, and behavioral therapies may be offered in conjunction. The psychiatric provider will carefully monitor all of these components to ensure the best blend for the patient’s mental health.
It’s important to note that not all patients and not all psychiatric problems require medicine. However, there are many instances where prescription medicines are the best way to relieve symptoms for the patient. Medication can be an effective part of the treatment of many mental illnesses such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Panic
- Sleep problems
- ADHD
- Schizophrenia