Mental health is typically treated holistically. There is no one “cure” for any mental health issue. When we look to treat various mental health conditions, our goal is to support you with cognitive changes, lifestyle changes, and more to make sure you’re getting the support you need.
As PMHNPs, we are able to prescribe medications for mental health conditions, and potentially combine them with other treatment options. But we rarely recommend only one treatment and one type of support.
Conditions like anxiety can be treated in simple or complex ways. Many people start by requesting only therapy for anxiety, connecting with a psychotherapist to discuss fears, worries, stresses, and more. Psychotherapy is very effective, but there are also situations where a person may want to consider seeking out psychiatric care or, as in most cases, a combination of both.
How Pharmaceutical Intervention Can Help Manage Anxiety
One thing to understand about psychotherapy is that the willingness to commit to it plays a role in the success of any treatment. When a person experiences severe anxiety, it can be especially difficult for that person to feel like they can commit to the process. They’re anxious. They’re experiencing physical and mental symptoms. They’re distracted.
Part of the goal of pharmaceutical intervention (anti anxiety medications) is to provide some much needed relief.
“Anxiety responds well to therapy. But there are situations where a person needs some relief from anxiety before they are able to get help.” says Audrey Jung, a therapist in Chandler, AZ. “Typically, I will recommend a person discuss their anxiety with a psychiatrist when it’s clear that their anxiety’s severity is preventing them from committing to therapy in a way that will benefit them, and then while they’re on medication we work together to try to better address their anxieties, fears, and stresses.”
Those that are able to experience relief through medication may be in a better position to be open to the psychotherapeutic treatment process.
In addition, psychotherapy is a slow process. It takes a long time to retrain the brain in how to think and react, and to improve the connections that allow you to cope with stress and nervousness. While medication doesn’t work immediately, it works much faster. For someone that’s been struggling with anxiety for so long, reducing anxiety more quickly can provide hope, give a person more understanding of themselves, and so much more.
Medication is a Step in the Process
While medicine does not “Cure” a mental health challenge, it is an effective tool to help people as they continue their path to better mental health and wellness, and one of many options for those that are seeking an overall better life. Rather than see it as an alternative to therapy or a last resort, we should look at mental health more holistically to determine the best approach and provide you with the treatment you need.