Therapy or Medication - What’s right for me?
The following article is for psychoeducation only and not intended to diagnose or treat any mental health issues. All medication questions should be discussed with your doctor.
When people start treatment for mental health, the question they often ask themselves is ‘therapy or medication, which one is better?’ If medication has been suggested by your family doctor or a psychiatrist, it is likely that they have also recommended therapy. Let’s take a look into how the two of them can work together to give you the best results:
Adding medications to your therapy treatments might sound like overkill, but there are plenty of physical problems that require multiple approaches! Would you be shocked if a doctor prescribed medication and physiotherapy for someone with knee or back problems?
The latest research continuously shows us that a combination of therapy and medication is a promising method for treating mental health disorders, particularly for those who are suffering from depression and anxiety. Medications can help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety more quickly (usually 4 to 6 weeks), thus giving you a chance to improve symptoms while getting set up and started with psychotherapy. When symptoms are alleviated through medications, you may find psychotherapy easier to engage with and you may better be able to practice the skills your therapist teaches you. Yes, each treatment is effective in its own right, but adding the benefits of medications to therapy provides a cumulative effect. The power of the combined approach may be because therapy and medications converge on the problem of anxiety and depression from two different angles – i.e. a more wraparound approach to treatment.
Depression and anxiety medications are among the most prescribed drugs in the world. Here are some of the common drugs used to treat both depression and anxiety that your doctor may suggest:
Sertraline (Zoloft)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Citalopram (Celexa)
Escitalopram (Lexapro)
Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
Some Pros and Cons
Some people suffering from mental illness can fully recover without medications, but for others, using medication to alleviate symptoms is essential to their treatment.
While there are plenty of benefits to adding medications to therapy, there are some drawbacks as well. Some of the drugs commonly prescribed have very adverse side effects and take time before they start working. These medications are often prescribed on a trial-and-error basis, meaning you may have to try several types before finding the right one for you.
Psychotherapy helps people overcome triggers so they can have a better quality of life. When adding medications to therapy, therapists teach the necessary skills for individuals to fall back on if their stressors return at some point in the future.
Research shows us that psychotherapy is, on average, about as effective as antidepressants (some studies have even shown that CBT – a branch of therapy - on its own is more effective relieving anxiety and depression than medications). One advantage of therapy is that its benefits last even after treatment stops, whereas the effects of medications wear off fairly quickly when stopped. For that reason, people are more likely to relapse if they stop taking medications as opposed to those who finish a course of therapy - this is yet another reason why a combination of psychotherapy and medication may be the best approach to your treatment plan.
It’s important that you thoroughly discuss treatment options with your therapist and physician, and that the treatment is explained in a way you can understand. The best result will come from sharing your unique history, symptoms, and life circumstances to your care team. This way, you’re getting a personalized treatment recommendation - different people respond to treatments differently!
At Brookhaven Psychotherapy, we have a team of highly specialized therapists who will be more than happy to discuss treatment plan options with you. We also can help you navigate the healthcare system to help you find the right medical professionals to assist you in medication decisions, including a direct pathway to psychiatric consultation through a partnership with Psychotherapy Matters.
Learn more about Adult Therapy here!
