In today’s world, if you see television or read a magazine, the chances are high that you’ll see or hear an ad for medications. The majority of us have heard of anxiety and depression medication. These medications are pitched to people for treating mental illnesses.
Both the medications and psychotherapy combinations have helped people with behavioral problems. Different kinds of problems need different treatments. Thus, choosing the right treatment can be complicated at times. Your choice of treatment should base on strong evidence. As well as your willingness to try these treatments and stick to them.
Read more – best online counseling for depression.
As a society, we all want an easy way to fix our problems. Psychotropic medications are an effortless method for treating anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. Why should you spend time on psychotherapy when you can pop a pill and get relief? But, like everything in life, there are compelling reasons to choose one or the other.
Health professionals generally recommend medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Whatever the choice, these discussions should be reviewed with your psychologist. Who can talk about specific issues, and symptoms? Educate them about the treatment to have the best outcome of your situation.
This article will tell you about what tends to be the most effective type of treatment. But remember, results may vary as many people have a natural preference. You are most likely to follow the treatment you are comfortable with.
Medication Vs Therapy:
Psychotherapy is often used in combination with medication to treat mental health problems. In some conditions, medication may be useful and for other reasons, psychotherapy may be the best option. For many people, combining treatment of both medication and psychotherapy is better than either alone. Healthy lifestyle improvements, such as good nutrition, adequate sleep, and regular exercise, can be important for overall wellness.
Benefits of Therapy:
For many people, treatment programs like psychodynamic psychotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy have proven to have more lasting results than psychotropic medications. These therapies teach you coping skills. They help you to identify negative thinking and give you the necessary tools to challenge and replace these beliefs.
When people go through psychotherapy treatment, they learn what triggers their reactions to specific fears or situations. Talk therapies and cognitive therapy help people overcome these triggers so they can have a better life. Moreover, these methods teach you skills that will help you in the longer run. This allows individuals not only to feel better but gives them something to fall back on if their stressors return in the near future.
Unlike some psychotropic medications, psychotherapy is not addictive. Furthermore, studies have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be more effective at relieving depression and anxiety than medication.
Benefits of Medication:
Depression and anxiety medications are among the most prescribed drugs worldwide. These drugs have worked as a “Magic Bullet” for mental illness. Indeed, the advantage of using these psychotropic medications is that some people may see a short-term and quicker improvement in their symptoms, especially when their care is severe.
Medications are generally cheaper than therapy and are often covered under insurance, while sometimes therapy may not be covered at all. That being said, there are disadvantages to medications, some of the drugs have very adverse side effects. It’s a fact that many people ignore when they see the list of them scrolling rapidly through an advertisement.
Medications are often prescribed on a trial basis, wherein the drugs are changed if the person is not getting the relief they hoped for. Many people fear taking anxiety or depression medications because of the worry of becoming addicted to them. Additionally, there are concerns that they will never be able to get off the medication in the future because their anxiety or depression can return if they do.
Combining Medication and Therapy:
1. Depression:
Kinds of therapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy, as well as antidepressant medications, be useful in coping with depression. There is some evidence that combining both therapy and medication may be more effective than either treatment alone.
2. Anxiety Disorders:
CBT and anti-anxiety medications have all shown to be helpful. Research shows that psychotherapy is more effective than medications and that adding medications does not significantly improve outcomes from psychotherapy alone.
3. Alcohol and Drug Disorder:
CBT and environment-based therapies have shown to be helpful. People with severe substance problems may also benefit from the addition of certain medications that reduce intoxication effects.
4. Eating Disorders:
Medical management may be necessary to maintain physical safety. CBT, interpersonal psychotherapy, as well as antidepressant medications, are helpful, some evidence suggests that both psychotherapy and medications may be more effective than either treatment alone.
5. Bipolar Disorder:
Most people require treatment with mood-stabilizing and antipsychotic medications. Research suggests that adding family psychotherapy to the treatment can improve functional outcomes.
6. Parenting and marriage adjustment:
Therapy is usually the first recommendation. This can help you build skills and respond more appropriately to stressors.
Wrapping Up:
Research has shown that in many cases, a combination of both medications and therapy gives patients the best result. Medication can help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety or depression more quickly, thus giving a person a chance to improve their symptoms while undergoing therapy at the same time.
Combining both treatments can improve symptoms, teach the skills that will allow you to cope with your issues, and help you feel better. Furthermore, therapy gives you the tools to cope if symptoms arise again.
When in doubt you can ask the doctor, and he can suggest the best recommendation for your condition.
