What is Medication-Based Therapy?
Everyone’s path toward better mental well-being looks different. What works for some people may not work for others. For many people, a mixture of complementary therapies can be beneficial, like adding medication-based therapy to your treatment.
At Broward Therapists, our highly trained team focuses on providing care that is compassionate, balanced and personal to you. By combining medication-based therapy with other types of talk therapies, our counselors can help provide you with a well-rounded plan toward better mental well-being.
What is medication-based therapy?
Medication-based therapy involves using different prescriptions to help make your symptoms and what you’re experiencing easier. These prescriptions can include antidepressants, anti-anxiety, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.
Why is medication-based therapy used?
When combined with traditional talk therapies, medication-based therapy can greatly improve results. In fact, adding medication can allow you to see faster, longer lasting results.
The reason medication and traditional talk therapy are used in tandem is because the two target different sections of the brain. Medication helps to reduce pain, suffering or heartache, while talk therapy helps you build better habits and coping skills.
While they serve different purposes, when used together, the two complement one another and allow you to make more progress on the journey to better mental wellbeing.
How do you use medication and talk therapy together?
At Broward Therapists, here’s how our team would use medication alongside traditional therapy to help you:
Depression: Depression impacts your energy, motivation and concentration. Using medication would help improve your mood and increase your energy. Layering in talk therapy would help you address negative thoughts and emotions, help you process grief and help you build routines in order to aid your long-term recovery.
Anxiety: Anxiety affects your mood and concentration. Using medication would help to reduce constant worry or panic, improve your sleep and allow you to focus. By adding in traditional therapy, you would learn coping and grounding skills for when you get anxious or overwhelmed, and learn to retrain fear responses.
When is it time to try medication-based therapy?
At Broward Therapists, you can always talk to your therapist and ask to try medication-based therapy if you believe it will help your mental health journey. However, there are instances when our therapists could recommend starting medication-based therapy, including when:
Your symptoms aren’t being managed by therapy alone
Your symptoms are worsening
Your symptoms are impacting your daily life
Stigma around medication-based therapy
Research shows the effectiveness of combining medication and traditional therapy; however, stigma still exists, which keeps many people from trying. On the other hand, some people are simply reluctant to add medicine to their daily routine, even when it would help.
At Broward Therapists, we understand that these are valid responses. But there shouldn’t be shame in working on your mental health, no matter how that looks for you. Furthermore, our trained nurse practitioner on site will work with you to start slowly while ensuring that you’re receiving the correct doses of your prescription.
Medication-based therapy at Broward Therapists
At Broward Therapists, we are dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized and evidence-based care. If you’re ready to explore the benefits of using medication-based therapy, reach out and let Broward Therapists walk alongside you on your path to wellness.