Why Medication Alone Can't Solve Most Psychological Problems

Many people who are taking medication ask why medication alone isn't solving their psychological problems (see my article: Medication Alone Isn't As Effective as Psychotherapy).

Medication Alone Can't Solve Most Psychological Problems

Why Can't Medication Solve Most Psychological Problems?

There are times when medication might be necessary and helpful to deal with the symptoms of a psychological problem. However, when medication is needed, a better approach to consider is combining medication with psychotherapy.

Here's why:

• Medication Targets Symptoms, But It Can't Get to the Root Cause of Your Problem: Whereas psychotherapy can get to the root cause of your problem, medication  alone can help to alleviate symptoms while you're on the medication. Medication doesn't address the underlying causes of your problem. For instance, if you choose to take medication for anxiety or depression, your symptoms might improve, but it doesn't address the underlying psychological and emotional factors involved so problem isn't resolved. 

Medication Alone Can't Solve Most Psychological Problems

• Medication Doesn't Teach You Tools, Strategies or Coping Skills: Medication might reduce your symptoms, but it doesn't help you to change negative thoughts or to improve emotional regulation. It doesn't help you to develop the necessary coping skills and internal resources. It also doesn't help you to work through unresolved trauma. Psychotherapy can help you with these issues and more (see my article: Developing Internal Resources and Coping Skills).

• Medication Doesn't Provide Provide Psychological Interventions: Psychological issues require psychological interventions. For instance, unlike psychotherapy, medication alone doesn't address the following issues or a variety other psychological problems:

• Grief

• Poor communication skills

• Dysfunctional relationship patterns

• Unresolved trauma

• Medication Doesn't Help You to Develop Internal Resources: Psychotherapy can help you to develop the necessary internal resources and coping skills related to your problem. In many cases, when you have developed these internal resources, it's possible you won't be as reliant on medication or you might not need it (always consult with your psychiatrist before you reduce or stop your medication). Medication is usually for symptom reduction. While medication can reduce symptoms, psychotherapy can help you to develop the following skills and internal resources and more:

• Develop self reflective capacity

• Develop a personal growth mindset

• Develop personal resilience

Conclusion

Medication can be a tool for managing symptoms and creating stability, but psychotherapy addresses the underlying issues at the root of your problem, helps you to develop coping skills and promotes positive change.

For many psychological issues, the combination of psychotherapy and medication can be effective. 

Always consult with a mental health professional who has the necessary expertise about this.

Getting Help in Therapy

If you have been struggling with unresolved problems, you could benefit from working with a skilled psychotherapist who can help you to develop the tools and strategies to overcome your problem.

Getting Help in Therapy

Rather than struggling on your own, seek help from a licensed mental health professional who has the expertise to help you to lead a more meaningful life.

Note: Never reduce or stop medication without consulting with your psychiatrist.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I am also work with individual adults and couples (see my article: What is a Trauma Therapist?).

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems - Part 2

I began discussing this topic in my prior article, Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems - Part 1.  In Part 1, I outlined the problems of taking a "band aid" (also known as a "quick fix") approach to resolving psychological problems.  In that article, I discussed the problems involved in only taking psychotropic medication (instead of also attending psychotherapy) or only attending a few sessions of therapy to vent and feel better momentarily without resolving the underlying issues related to the problem.

Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Problems

In this article, I'll expand on this topic by giving a composite scenario, which is made up of many different cases with all identifying information changed to protect confidentiality:

Ted
Ted had a long history of anxiety that began when he was a young child.

He was the oldest of five children in a family who lived from one crisis to the next.  Both parents worked two jobs and so Ted was usually in charge of taking care of his younger siblings.

Ted's anxiety began when he was a child

Ted, who was too young to take care of siblings, often felt overwhelmed.

He never allowed his parents or siblings to see how anxious he was, so he felt alone with his fears and sense of inadequacy.

Fortunately, by the time Ted went away to college, his family's financial situation had improved substantially so his parents no longer needed to each work two jobs, and Ted was free to go away to college.

But even with the improvement in their financial resources, the family was so accustomed to being in crisis that they would often react to common everyday family problems as if there was a crisis.

Both of the parents came from traumatic, crisis-oriented family backgrounds and neither had ever gone for psychological help, so this pattern was deeply ingrained and passed on from one generation to the next (see my article:  Psychotherapy and Transgenerational Trauma).

While Ted was in college, he often received calls from family members who were reacting to everyday problems as if they were crises.  This exacerbated Ted's anxiety to the point where he wasn't sleeping and he had some difficulty concentrating on his schoolwork.

He had problems concentrating on his work

After suffering several weeks with insomnia and poor concentration, Ted came home to see his family doctor, who placed him on an anti-anxiety medication called Xanax.

For a period of time after that, Ted took Xanax whenever he felt anxious and it helped him to calm down.  But it didn't help him to overcome the underlying issues that were creating problems for him.

One of those problems was that Ted continued to feel deeply inadequate.  What started as a sense of inadequacy about himself as a child trying to take care of his siblings continued into his adulthood in every area of his life.  And, although the medication helped to take the edge off of his anxiety, it didn't change the way he felt about himself.

Even worse, he began to realize that he needed more and more Xanax in order to function, and he knew that he couldn't go on this way.

Ted's doctor referred him to a psychotherapist

With the help of his doctor, he titrated off Xanax, he accepted the doctor's referral for psychotherapy to a licensed psychotherapist, and he attended a few therapy sessions.

During those sessions, he felt better after talking to the therapist and he also developed a basic understanding of why he felt anxious.

Once he felt some relief, he decided to leave therapy against the therapist's advice, believing that his problems were resolved.  But having a basic understanding about his problems wasn't the same as resolving his problems (see my article:  Healing From the Inside Out: Why Understanding Your Problems Isn't Enough).

In addition, his anxiety returned after the "feel good" feelings wore off.  So, he went to see another therapist, who advised that Ted remain in therapy to work through the underlying issues that were causing Ted's problems  But, once again, after he began feeling better, Ted left therapy (see my article:  When Clients Leave Therapy Prematurely).

After repeating this pattern several times with the same results, Ted felt frustrated and discouraged.  He wondered if, perhaps, therapy didn't work for him.  But he spoke with a close friend, who told Ted how sticking with therapy helped him and Ted realized that his pattern of leaving therapy after a few sessions was the real problem.

Getting Help in Therapy

Once Ted accepted this and made a commitment in his next therapy to remain until he worked through the underlying causes of his psychological problems, he was able to work through his problems in therapy with a skilled therapist who was empathetic and supportive.

Getting Help in Therapy
"Band aid" or "quick fix" approaches to overcoming psychological problems rarely work.

Overcoming psychological problems requires a commitment to complete the process beyond "feeling good" temporarily.

If you're struggling with problems that haven't responded to your own efforts or to "quick fix" attempts, you could benefit from the help of a licensed mental health professional who can help you work through your problems beyond just "feeling good."

About Me
I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR and Somatic Experiencing therapist who works with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website:  Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during regular business hours or email me.

Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems - Part 1

In most cases getting psychological help should be more than just a "band aid" or "quick fix" approach, especially for people who have a history of trauma or who have complex psychological problems.  

Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems

Unfortunately, the "band aid" approach has been a trend in mental health for the last decade or so and there's no sign that this will change any time soon.

What Are "Band Aid" or "Quick Fix" Approaches to Psychological Problems?

For a variety of reasons, including the heavy promotion of psychotropic drugs by pharmaceutical companies who are making huge profits, many more people, who really need more in-depth psychological treatment, are being encouraged to seek "quick fix" solutions to their problems.

Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems

The "band aid" or "quick fix" solution often involves just taking medication or a "triage" approach to therapy.

The "band aid" approach is usually inadequate for most people because without psychotherapy, clients don't develop an understanding about their problems, nor do they develop skills to overcome these problems.

Psychotropic Medication Alone Isn't as Effective as Psychotherapy For Many Psychological Problems
While it's true that in many cases psychotropic medication might be necessary to help with stabilization, there are also many more cases where clients are encouraged to rely solely on medication when they could benefit more from attending psychotherapy.

In addition, there are often side effects to psychotropic medication that clients are unaware of before they start taking them.  Some of the side effects are mild, but some are more significant.

Also, what happens when clients want to stop medication (hopefully, in collaboration with their doctor)?

Very often, when people stop taking medication and they haven't attended therapy, they return to their former level of psychological functioning without the medication because they haven't learned, beyond taking a pill, what changes they can make themselves to overcome their problems.

So, in many cases, they resume the medication, and it becomes an endless cycle.

Medication Alone Usually Isn't as Effective as Therapy For Many Psychological Problem

This isn't to say that people should stop taking psychotropic medication without consulting with their doctor.  As I've said, there are particular problems (like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, to name just two) where medication is necessary.  There are also times when medication can be helpful as an adjunct to therapy.

The problem arises when clients only take medication without attending therapy.

Many people, who rely solely on medication, would benefit more from seeing a licensed psychotherapist.

What is the Triage Approach to Therapy?
Aside from just taking medication, triage therapy is where the client comes to therapy in crisis and the therapist helps the client to feel better momentarily in a few sessions without getting to the root of the problem.

Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems

For some people, like people who are in war-torn countries or who experience natural disaster, who have limited access to therapy, and who are in crisis, triage therapy might be all that is possible.  In those cases, triage therapy is better than no therapy at all.

But aside from these unique circumstances, the problem with this approach is that, while the client might "feel better" momentarily because she or he vented about the problem for a few sessions, the client has no meaningful understanding of the problem.  In other words, aside from "feeling good" for the moment, nothing substantial has really changed.

When this occurs, these clients feel some relief from their psychological problems which, of course is important, but this relief is usually short lived.  And since nothing of substance has changed for them psychologically, they will often return again and again (either to the same therapist or to a different therapist) when the temporary feelings of relief have subsided.

Temporary Feelings of Relief Can Lead Eventually to a "Revolving Door" Cycle 

This can set up a "revolving door" cycle for many clients.  After many of these attempts, they often get discouraged and feel that therapy "doesn't work" for them.  They don't understand, and no one has ever educated them, that there's no shortcut to making significant changes and that while there might be different forms of therapy that tend to be shorter and more effective than others, the "quick fix" approach of only attending a few sessions usually doesn't work for long.

How Can Psychotherapy Help?

When a skilled mental health professional provides psychotherapy services, it can help clients by:

• providing an empathic and supportive environment where clients feel cared about and understood (for many people, this might be their first meaningful experience of feeling really heard and cared about in their lives)
• empowering clients to understand their problems, including dysfunctional patterns that they keep repeating in their lives
• helping clients to develop the necessary internal resources and skills they will need to make and sustain important changes 
• helping clients to work through and overcome psychological problems 

The "band aid" approach, whether it involves just taking medication or a triage approach in therapy, doesn't do this.

In the next article, I'll give an example to clarify why the "band aid" approach usually doesn't work and how psychotherapy can be beneficial (see my article:  Beyond the "Band Aid" Approach to Overcoming Psychological Problems - Part 2).

Getting Help in Therapy
In the meantime, if you've either tried on your own or you've only ever sought a "quick fix" approach to your problems, you could benefit from attending therapy with a licensed mental health professional who will work with you to empower you in a meaningful way to resolve your problems.

Getting Help in Therapy in a Meaningful Way

Rather than looking for shortcuts that don't work, you could have a more meaningful experience in therapy so you can overcome your problems and live a more fulfilling life.

About Me
I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR and Somatic Experiencing therapist who works with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website:  Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, you can call me at (917) 742-2624 during regular business hours or email me.

Medication Alone Isn't as Effective as Psychotherapy to Overcome Anxiety or Depression

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on taking medication to overcome anxiety or depression.  While medication can be helpful, medication alone often isn't enough.  Aside from the possible side effects, medication alone doesn't help you to make the kind of changes you need to make to overcome anxiety or depression.  Rather than relying on medication alone, attending psychotherapy with an experienced therapist is usually more effective.

Medication Alone Isn't as Effective as Psychotherapy

Medication Alone Isn't Enough to Overcome Anxiety or Depression
Believing that medication alone is enough for you to overcome anxiety or depression is a seductive idea.  It sounds simple and quick.  There are lots of commercials on TV that lead you to believe that all you have to do is pop a pill to fill better.  But this idea is deceptive.

Psychotherapy is Effective in Helping You to Make Changes in Your Life to Overcome Anxiety or Depression 
Just taking medication alone won't help you to make much-needed changes in your life to overcome anxiety or depression.  There might be things that you're doing (or not doing) that might be contributing to your anxiety or depression.

By simply taking a pill, you won't learn to make the necessary changes that might be exacerbating your condition.

For instance, medication won't help you to develop emotional intelligence to handle your problems.  Developing emotional intelligence is something you learn to do in therapy.

Also, medication alone won't help to motivate you to engage in the type of self care that might actually make it unnecessary to take medication.

So, for instance, research has shown that, in many instances, doing exercise can be as effective to alleviate anxiety or depressive symptoms as medication and without the side effects.  In therapy, you can develop the motivation to exercise and engage in other types of self care that can help you to feel better.

In many cases, either psychotherapy alone or psychotherapy and medication can be effective, depending upon the client and the severity of the symptoms.

It's very important that you consult with your doctor before you stop taking medication.

See the link below for my article about APA research, which reveals that psychotherapy is effective, but it's underutilized.

About Me
I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR and Somatic Experiencing therapist.  I work with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website:  Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist

To set up a consultation, call me at (212) 726-1006 or send me an email: josephineolivia@aol.com 


APA: Research Reveals That Psychotherapy Is Effective But Underutilized