I want to address a couple of questions I often get regarding medications.
The first question is, “Do I need to take medication?” The second question is, “I’ve been taking medication and I don’t think it’s helping me. So, do you think I should take it?”
First off, let me be clear, I am not a psychiatrist.
Medication is not my area of expertise. What I can suggest regarding your questions about medication is that you consult with a psychiatrist.
The reality is that there are times when the best thing might be to take medication.
Here’s the thing about medication. Medication is about managing symptoms. The way you get any particular medication is that you describe your symptoms to a psychiatrist. Then, the psychiatrist will pick the best medication or cocktail of medications they know for managing the symptoms and sensations you’ve described that you’re feeling in your body.
That being said, I’d like to share with you some information that might be useful to you if you’ve come to the conclusion, with your psychiatrist or independently, to stop taking medication or to try other things before you go the medication route.
Managing the sensations in your body.
If you want, one of the things you can do before you consult a psychiatrist is to learn techniques and practices that will help you manage the sensations in your body. Because the reality is, it’s totally possible to do so for many of the sensations that are the “symptoms” of your distress.
I teach people how to manage sensations in their bodies. For example, let’s say you want to manage your experiences of depression or the sensations you experience in anxiety. Maybe you want to control your anger more. There are exercises I can show you and practices I can teach you that will allow you to develop the self-regulation that you are looking for.
One advantage of medication is that it can regulate you without you having to do anything but take the pill. But if you’d like to try managing your body on your own and think you have the time or inclination to manage your symptoms on your own, there are resources you can turn to.
There are online programs you can look for or you can give me a call. We’ll talk, and I’ll teach you.
After that, if you find that what you’ve learned isn’t working or you just can’t find the time to do it, go ahead and consult a psychiatrist.
Contact me now to set up your free 15-minute phone consultation.