Quick synopsis:

 

The take home message is quite simple. Psychological medications will make you feel better but your

 

thinking, lifestyle choices, socialization patterns, jobs issues, family issues don’t go away because of

 

medication. People will quit therapy which does deal with the above issues simply because they feel

 

better due to medications. In this process becoming dependent on the medications whereas therapy’s

 

goal is to have you becoming independent due to therapy.

 

I had a discussion recently with someone regarding how a problem was “remedied” with medications for

 

psychological ailments. First off, psychiatry is much more of a symptom reduction approach. What this

 

means is if you go into your primary care physician or a psychiatrist and complain of a sleep issue they

 

may simply give you a sleep medication. You have a complaint of a symptom, they give a medication to

 

alleviate said symptom. Technically they don’t have to care if it is related to depression, anxiety, post-

 

traumatic stress disorder, personality issues and so on. They simply give you something to take care of

 

your complaint.

 

I realize some psychiatrists will definitely take the time to delineate these issues and make a diagnosis.

 

However, a psychiatrist friend of mine said he has seen many times they don’t, as I have seen working

 

with them as well. In psychology any of the above examples where a person my have a sleep problem as

 

the presenting problem/complaint we HAVE to figure out what is causing the the sleep complaint. This is

 

because the underlying issue is what may be causing the sleep disturbance. We will investigate, over a

 

50 minute session and many times two sessions what is causing the sleep issue. Clearly these are two

 

different approaches on how to deal with the issue. These are important points to consider when going to

 

a primary care, psychiatrist or therapist/psychologist.

 

Furthermore, and here is where the real problem occurs. I have a friend, and have had many patients do

 

the following. They take a medication, it works a little they get the dosage correct and then FEEL

 

genuinely better and then quit therapy. After all they feel better right. However the thinking patterns,

 

lifestyle choices, socialization etc. stay the same. This lack of change especially being true since they

 

have dropped the therapy is still problematic. Basically the medication is masking the underlying issue.

 

My friend who I have attempted to correct and point the above issues has realized the above pattern as

 

in taking a medication and quitting therapy and does want to go back to therapy now. I am simply using

 

this as an example (my friend) of which we were warned about during my MA program. I have known her

 

for literally two years and I have seen the same irrational/illogical cognitive patterns stay the same.

 

People will come in get on a med as they are seeing us as therapists then quit because they feel better.

 

However, they are still thinking in illogical and irrational ways as my friend has done. Furthermore, they

 

are NOT changing lifestyle choices, socialization, exercise regimens, eating habits, etc.

 

Again the take home message is quite simply psychological medications will make you feel better. Yet

 

your thinking, lifestyle choices, socialization patterns, job issues, family issues, exercise, etc. don’t go

 

away because of medication. Therapy needs to be a component part to he the equation to remedy

 

people.