When Is Medication Management the Right Choice?

There’s a lot of misinformation surrounding mental health and even more confusion about the best course of treatment for managing these conditions. Part of this stems from the fact that mental health disorders vary significantly from person to person. Similarly, a therapy that works for one individual may not provide the same results as another.

Fortunately, our skilled and compassionate experts at Associates in Behavioral Science can guide you through the best course of treatment. We can also explain the importance of medication management and whether it could be right for you.

Do you have a mental health disorder? Here’s what you should know about medication management.

How medication management works

Navigating a mental health condition can feel overwhelming, but “medication management” is fairly straightforward. Simply put, it involves using psychotropic medications as part of your treatment plan — but that doesn’t mean you get a prescription and head off on your own.

Instead, medication management involves regular psychotherapy sessions and appointments focused on your medications. These sessions enable us to closely monitor your mental and physical health to deliver optimal results every step of the way.

The benefits of medication management include:

• Explaining the medications and what you can expect while taking them
• Watching symptoms for signs of improvement
• Detecting side effects to medication as early as possible
• Ensuring medications get taken as directed

This personalized approach allows us to make adjustments quickly so you feel your best mentally and physically as soon as possible — and maintain your results moving forward.

When to consider medication management

Not all mental health conditions require prescription drugs. However, when they do, extensive research shows that medications yield better results when used in combination with psychotherapy. 

Medication management programs can be short or long term. They can also help in numerous situations, like intense grief.

Common conditions that benefit from medication management include:

• Depressive disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Schizophrenia 
• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Substance use disorders

The good news is that you don’t have to decide on your own if you need medication management. If you have the symptoms of a mental health disorder, you can meet with an expert on our team.

During your appointment, your provider gets to know you, discusses your symptoms, and reviews your psychological and medical history. Then, they perform a psychiatric evaluation.

Based on this information, they can reach and explain your diagnosis. Finally, they can outline the best course of treatment moving forward and whether medication management should play a role in this plan.

Do you need help with a mental health disorder? Our team can help. Learn more about your care options by scheduling a consultation at Associates in Behavioral Science in Berwyn, Illinois today.