by KC Kelly, Ph.D., LMHC

http://DOCintheBiz.com

How Do I Know What Medication is Best for my Mental/Emotional Disorder?

Many of my readers have asked me this question. I wish there could be one proven effective and safe treatment, or even cure, for those who suffer with mental/emotional disorders.

Firstly, I want to make it clear that I am a doctor of psychotherapy and not an MD, so I can only talk from my knowledge and education about medication here in this public forum as well as privately. Prescribing medication over the Internet is not suggested for anyone. I can discuss my strong familiarity and understanding with all the different clients I have worked with and about their experiences with different medications.

I DO understand many of the difficulties and successes associated with different psychotropic medications. Let me share what I DO know:

The truth about finding the right psychotropic medication(s) to aid in the treatment of mental/emotional disorders, may be easy for some and more difficult for others to want to “hear”. The fact is that finding the right medication or combination of medications is almost like a crap shoot or trial and error. With the number of different neurotransmitters in the brain and causes of mental/emotional disorders including:

Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Dopamin
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Thyroid instability
Estrogen levels

to the number of different classifications of medications for, let’s say, just depression alone which include but are not limited to:

Tricyclics
SSRI’s
MAOI’s

(each with numerous choices of medications under each category), it’s no wonder with this many choices, it’s so very difficult to find the right medication.

The lucky person is the one who finds success with the first medication they try, while another person must continue on and on without results until they find the right one(s) for him/her. In the meantime, they may deal with horribly debilitating side effects to the point that they may even give up thinking that living with the disorder is easier than feeling like a guinea pig testing all these medications out that make them feel sick.

THE KEY IS NOT TO GIVE UP! Easier said than done, I know.

The brain is the most mysterious organ in the body and therefore, I believe we are not only many years away from fully understanding brain functioning, there may never be just one “magic pill” for everyone. Just like with antibiotics, one may work for one person and make another person sick. The same goes for psychotropic medications.

The bottom line is that every person is different, with their own unique body chemistry. Each person reacts differently to each medication and there is no ONE medication that has proven to help everyone. Many people do really well on SSRI’s for depression and/or anxiety, while others are either not effected by the medication at all, or cannot handle the side effects.

As mentioned earlier, the key is to keep trying different ones a psychiatrist you feel comfortable with until you find the right medication or combination of medications that works for YOU. This is understandably a very difficult thing to do and much easier said than done. You must also remember the importance of pairing psychotherapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is great for anxiety and depression) with a psychotherapist you feel comfortable with, along with your medication management.

I wish I could have bestowed upon my readers the perfect answer to the question, “How Do I Know What Medication is Best for my Mental/Emotional Disorder?”  Unfortunately, there is no perfect answer. There are, however, many good professionals out there who are willing to help in the battle against your disorder. You can feel better and you DO deserve to feel better!

If you would like to talk one on one about your experiences or other more detailed information, please contact me at DOCintheBiz. I would be happy to help you in any way I can. I DO understand and you are NOT alone.

Dr. KC
http://DOCintheBiz.com

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