Psychotropic drugs and psychotherapy have shown that they constitute a valid help for people with mental and behavioral problems.
But what are the criteria for choosing the most appropriate between these two care?
Different disorders will respond differently to the various treatments and, therefore, the choice of the right treatment for each individual case must be carefully evaluated.
In today’s world, where there seems to be a pill to treat practically any disease, many people who present anxiety or depression disorders assume that a psychotropic drug is the best option for them. So much so that in recent years the statistics report a strong Increase in the prescription of psychotropic drugs all over the world. In the United States, they are in fact the most commonly prescribed drug class.
In our society, we all want an easy solution to our problems and psychotropic drugs are considered the easiest method to treat anxiety, depression and other psychiatric diseases.
Ultimately, many wonder: why dedicate a lot of time to psychotherapy when you can take a pill and get relief instantly?
“Quick solution” or “hard work”
Our culture has a love-hatred relationship with psychiatric drugs. Although doctors prescribe them widely, they are sometimes pointed out as a kind of “shortcut” towards well -being, a “rapid” way to get better without facing and try to solve the real problems that underlie psychic suffering.
Popular fiction is that drugs are the “lazy” or “easy” way, while Psychotherapy is the much more difficult choicebut who reflects a person’s ability to “work hard”.
Beyond this consideration that has marked for many years the debate between the supporters of the “cure with the word” or with the “medicines”, today we have a large amount of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of both treatment methods if used appropriately and “cut out” on the individual patient.
Therefore, knowing in general the pros and cons of both of these therapeutic options allows you to make a more informed decision on which trait could be the most suitable for the specific case.
Pros and against the two types of treatment
The rapidity of action constitutes an element for the benefit of psychotropic drugs, which is very useful especially when the in progress pathology has a high severity character.
The costs are generally higher in the psychotherapeutic treatment, in relation to its longer duration over time and frequency of the sessions, but the diffusion of Psychotherapy platforms Online also makes this type of treatment very accessible.
The side effects of psychotropic drugs that, at least initially, are added to the various disorders, including physical types, who already afflict people with anxious-depressive pathologies (nausea, dizziness, tremor, sedation, sexual deficits, etc.), can constitute an element that discourages the use of this type of care, thus orienting the choice on a psychotherapeutic path.
They preferably address a psychotherapist those people also have Difficulty taking psychotropic drugs Due to the concern to become employees or to suffer personality alterations following the prolonged use of these therapies.
Many studies have shown that various forms of psychotherapy determine more lasting positive results than psychotropic drugs, since they help patients identify the roots of their problems and factors that trigger or amplify negative, anxious and destructive thoughts. They teach self-control techniques and greater awareness of their psychological functioning, which will be useful, even after the conclusion of the care path, for a better quality of life.
What factors to consider for the choice?
When you are trying to decide if the right choice for you is psychotherapy or treatment with drugs (or maybe the two combined options) considers the following:
- What kind of disorder you need to deal;
- How serious your condition is;
- If in the past you have already had to resort to one or the other form of care and therefore with which you have already had good results or with which instead not;
- Which type of treatment is the most accessible in the area where you reside;
- Which is more convenient for you now and which it will be in a medium/long term perspective;
- If your symptoms are related to past experiences or trauma (or recent) that you must elaborate together with the therapist to try to solve them;
- If you have medical health problems that would be negatively influenced by the side effects of drug therapy.
What about the combination of psychotherapy and drugs?
Since the 70s it has clearly emerged that the combined treatment with psychotherapy and drugs has been higher than each of the two treatments if used individually.
Since then, numerous other studies have shown that combined treatment has many advantages compared to the treatment in single mode and in 2015, the world orga-nication of health (WHO) has clearly indicated that a therapeutic approach mode that makes use of both treatments is the most effective in the treatment of many pathologies of psychiatric interest.
If in fact, the speed of action of psychotropic drugs can be useful in an initial phase to improve some symptoms, the associated psychotherapeutic work can determine a more stable improvement, providing the tools that will be able to deal with and manage them even in a medium and long term perspective.
Does this mean that all patients who present mental problems should be offered a treatment with a combination of psychotherapy and drugs?
This cannot constitute a general rule, the specialist will evaluate whether the patient needs:
- only psychotherapy;
- only psychotropic drugs (limited cases);
- psychotherapy + psychotropic drugs.
In the majority of cases, therefore, the integrated treatment of psychotherapy and psychotropic drugs indicates, in other cases only the psychotherapeutic one, more rarely only the pharmacological one.
It is also essential that between the psychiatrist and the psychotherapist intercorbs constant communication to share the general objectives of the treatment and an improvement of the results.
How to proceed in individual pathologies
Depression
The combined treatment of psychotherapy and drugs is the preferred one for depression, with the possibility of associating them from the beginning or at different times along the course of treatment.
For mild/moderate depressive forms, psychotherapy could be the treatment of choice to manage symptoms. However, for the per-tone with more serious depression, the combination of drugs and therapy represents the most effective approach.
Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders
For anxiety disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy and antidepressant/anxiolytic drugs have proven to be useful. The pharmacological approach is indicated for the management of short -term symptoms, but these therapies must not be used in the long term, because this involves the risk of abswtion and dependence.
What is the best option depends on the individual preferences and the type of disorder of the subject. Research generally shows that for various anxiety disorders (social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder) psychotherapy is more effective than drugs and that the addition of drugs must be reserved for well selected cases.
Dependencies
For alcohol and drug use disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy has proven useful. People with serious problems of use of substances can also benefit from the addition of some drugs that bring the desire or effects of intoxication back.
Eating disorders
For eating disorders, medical management can be indispensable to control the internal problems that are determined in these patients. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and psychotropic drugs have all proven useful. Also in this psychopathological area, many tests suggest that the combination of psychotherapy and drugs, when we rely on two distinct therapists, can be more effective than both treatments alone.
Personality disorders
In the treatment of personality disorders, it cannot be separated from the use of psychotherapy, as it is the only treatment that deals with the fundamental nucleus of these conditions. Considering also the poor response to drugs, however useful for managing acute stages of behavior changes.
Psychotic disorders
For schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, treatment with antipsychotic drugs or mood stabilizers is certainly indispensable, but research suggests that the addition of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy or psycho-education sessions with family members can help monitor and manage the moods of patients and identify early alarm signals or triggering factors of new episodes of alteration.
In conclusion, the best way to find the right option is to speak with an expert mental health professional who can evaluate the situation and formulate a recommendation based on the specific case.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artics/pmc3918025/
- https://www.psychologytaday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-ey-age/201507/psychotherapy-vs-medications-verict-is-in
- https://www.psichiahiatiaonlinemichelefutilondra.com/tragation
- https://psychcentral.com/blog/dePrested-you-Hound-ba-in-therapy-taking-A- antidepressant/
- https://camh.ca/en/health-info/ental- illness-and-adication-index/antidepressant-medications
- https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/artics/pmc3918025/
- https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artics/pmc7451304/
- https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artics/pmc2748674/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/borderLine-Personality-disorder-ap.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/medication-or-therapy
