The Dilemma of Medicines and Therapies

The debate between psychiatric drugs and therapy has been a longstanding and complex issue in the mental health field. As society increasingly recognizes the importance of mental wellbeing, individuals seeking treatments are often confronted with the question of which approach to pursue: pharmaceutical intervention through psychiatric drugs or the therapeutic path of counselling and psychotherapy. The distinct benefits and respective shortcomings of these treatments have sparked a debate among professionals and patients alike.

Is medicinal intervention the best treatment?

Mental health disorders and illnesses can be caused by several environmental and biological factors. As stated by American Psychological Association, imbalances within the chemicals in the brain such as rise and fall of serotonin or dopamine can result in multiple mental illnesses. The unwanted fluctuations in these chemicals can be treated by medicines which help to restore them to an optimum level. It must be remembered that medications do not cure mental health, but rather help to manage the symptoms and one can relapse if medicines are discontinued. There are numerous types of medications for different illnesses; there are antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. 

Harvard Psychologist Irving Krish said in an interview that the effect of placebo and anti depressant is very minimal for people who are suffering from mild depression but the effect of the anti depressants is significant for individual's who are going through extreme episodes of depression. Medicines, in some cases, tend to be more efficacious when combined with a therapeutic program. Medicines tend to produce faster results as compared to therapies and require minimal effort. However, psychiatric drugs do have their drawbacks: relapsing, fatigue, drowsiness, weight gain, brain zaps, nausea, spasms, cramps, and in some cases loss of sex drive. Solely relying on medicine is not a long term solution because the environmental or internal factor that is triggering your mental disorder needs to be treated from its root by altering the lifestyle or thinking patterns. Dr. Thomas Szasz was a famous and well reputed psychiatrist who was also the author of the book "The myth of Mental Illness". He was the firm believer of the concept that mental illnesses are not caused by chemical imbalances; therefore, medicines are not an ideal solution. He believed that people experiences some "living problems" which can only be amended by changing their lifestyle.

Should I opt for Psychotherapies?

The second solution to treat and manage the mental disorders stem from the cognitive and behavioural branch of psychology. It is suggested that therapies offer the chance of a long term recovery and eliminate the risk of relapse. There are numerous therapeutic approaches namely CBT, REBT, Psychodynamic therapy, Exposure therapy etc. Some illnesses can be better treated by therapies as compared to medicines while some required a collaborative program of both methods. Therapy offers you a chance to dive deep in your thoughts process and evaluate your cognitive patterns, and analyse how these patters are manifested in your behavior. This treatment plan empowers you with a freewill and teaches you new coping skills to manage everyday stress without relying on medicines. But, therapy is a gradual process and can be draining for the individuals who want quick results. Some patients cannot go through all the labor that needs to be put in during a therapy session, and they might be at a critical and life threatening stage of life; thus, therapy might not be a feasible treatment for these people.

However, in recent years there has been unruly criticism on prescribing psychiatric medicines to young children such as those suffering from ADHD when number of kids with ADHD is sharply rising. The center for Disease Control and Prevention has suggested that behavioural therapy should be prioritized to treat children with ADHD, rather than immediately resorting to medicines. We often see that insomniac patients are prescribed a medicine, but American College of Physicians suggest that CBT-I should be used to treat insomnia, only if it does not bear fruitful results medicines maybe prescribed.

So, what should I do?

Finally it is of utmost importance to consult with your doctor before deciding upon which line of treatment should be used as both of them have some pros and cons. It is crucial to search about your disorder and read credible authorities and visit qualified psychologist/psychiatrist before proceeding with your treatment program. Different mental disorders require different treatments; hence, there is no one size that fits all.

Make sure you seek the right treatment and adopt a mentally and physically healthy lifestyle.