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Psychiatric medications influence the brain chemicals that regulate emotions and thought patterns. “They’re usually more effective when combined with psychotherapy,” explains a webpage from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “In some cases, medicines can reduce symptoms so other methods of a treatment plan can be more effective. For example, a medication can ease symptoms of depression like loss of energy and lack of concentration, allowing an individual to engage more in talk therapy.”
Predicting which patient will respond to what medication can be difficult as different medications may work better for one person than for another. Every teenage patient treated by the BasePoint team first undergoes a detailed intake evaluation to assess their current state from a mental, physical, and emotional perspective. Based on that assessment, an individualized treatment plan is developed to address the specific needs of the patient.
Depending on the diagnosis and the severity of the symptoms, a treatment plan may include prescribing antipsychotics, antidepressants, psychotropics, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants, or mood stabilizers. As with every treatment plan, the patient’s responsiveness and physical interaction with the medication is monitored, tracked, and adjusted as needed.
Sometimes patients and families harbor fears and misconceptions about the effects of psychiatric medications. “People fear being someone else, being not like themselves,” says Kimberly Dobbins, MD, the chief medical officer at BasePoint. “They fear turning the patient into a zombie, unable to respond emotionally. They fear their loved one will have to take the meds ‘forever.’ I usually assure them that it’s only for some time, like other things in life.”
In most cases, Dr. Dobbins considers medications an adjunct to therapy. “Sometimes, it’s very necessary, sometimes it can be optional depending on what the support services may be, or how serious the condition is—but I always give parents and patients options to choose from. I also educate them on what the outcome could be without the medication. The treatment goal is to get patients back to their baseline, where they are feeling good, where they have fewer episodes of depression, less anxiety.”
Although medications are meant to be utilized as temporary tools, some patients and parents are reluctant to go down that path. “When it is a child and parents, it’s often the parents,” says Dr. Dobbins. “In the case of young adult patients, it’s often the young adult patient because they think they can get by without meds. People are worried about the side effects of the medications, they worry about stigmatization, and sometimes they are worried about what other family members are going to say or think about them.”
Much can depend on the family’s background and its dynamic. “Social, ethnic, and cultural beliefs about what’s appropriate and what is not can play a role,” says Dobbins. “Also, what families consider a mental illness can vary quite a bit. So, the BasePoint team tries to educate families on what the condition actually is, and what the treatment can or should be.”
“We explain what the outcomes could be with or without the treatment,” says Dobbins. “We let them make the choice, but also explain that the condition may not get better until we add a medication to the treatment plan.”
BasePoint is available to speak with you to get your teen on the path toward optimal wellness. Contact us today to schedule a free mental health assessment with a licensed clinician at one of our mental health facilities. You can also get in touch to talk with a BasePoint mental health expert about treatment needs, care options, and your insurance coverage levels.
Call today to schedule a complimentary same-day assessment at (469) 530-3725.
