Mental health issues and psychiatric disorders often require combined treatments to have the most successful outcomes. Part of this treatment can involve medications that work alongside other methods.
Managing these medicines is crucial to ensure the patient is both comfortable with the medication and is also experiencing the benefits. This can include monitoring for side effects and managing dosages depending on patient feedback.
Below we’ll look deeper into medication management and how it relates to a multifaceted treatment plan.
Medication Management
While not all mental health issues will require medication, it is very common for doctors to prescribe these in addition to counseling and other methods.
After an assessment with a psychiatrist, they may decide that prescribing medication is necessary to help treat certain conditions.
Once prescribed, the management of that medication will begin. Each patient may react to certain medications differently. This is why medication management is so important to make sure the treatment is both safe and maximally effective.
Once the medication has begun, the psychiatrist will monitor the patient to gauge both the effectiveness and any possible side effects. This is done with regular follow-up visits or phone consultations when appropriate.
If the patient reports an improvement in symptoms with no other issues, the psychiatrist will recommend they both keep with the current regimen along with any additional therapy methods.
If however, the patient reports side effects or no improvement, then the psychiatrist will likely make some changes to the prescription. This can include switching to an entirely new medication that will be more tolerable to the patient.
It can also include changes to the dosage, either increases or decreases to deal with side effects or to increase effectiveness with the minimal dosage required.
Through this carefully managed process, the right medication and dosage can be found for each patient that provides the most benefits with the minimum side effects.
Every Patient Is Different
It’s important to not become discouraged if during this medication management period prescriptions are changed or altered. It’s completely normal for each patient to react differently to medications for the first time and some changes are usually required along the way.
This aspect of medication management is crucial to finding the perfect medication and dosage for each patient that helps them in the way that is needed.
The Patient’s Role In Medication Management
It’s important to always be open and honest with your psychiatrist during medication management. Much of what they decide to do will be based on the patient’s feedback.
Always report any issues with your medication to your psychiatrist, even if these issues may seem small or minor. These are all important indicators for the psychiatrist to evaluate and base their decisions on.
More Information On Medication Management
If you are dealing with mental health issues and think medication management or other therapies may help, make sure to reach out to the compassionate professionals at South County Psychiatry.
Our caring medical staff is dedicated to finding the perfect treatment for each patient, so contact us today to set up your assessment and start down the path to a healthier you.