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Medications can be a vital treatment for patients with mental health disorders, but it’s important to make sure you take the optimal dose. Lawrence Abah, DNP, MS, MSN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, FPA, and his team at Holistic Behavioral & TMS Therapy in Las Vegas, Nevada, offer a medication management service that reviews all your medicines and provides other invaluable therapies. Find out more by calling the Holistic Behavioral & TMS Therapy office today or book using the online form.
What is medication management?
Medication management involves having an expert in psychopharmacology (medications for psychiatric disorders) review your current medications to ensure you take the correct drugs at the proper doses.
For many mental health conditions, medications play a vital role in easing symptoms and helping with recovery. When you start feeling better, your medications will likely stay the same for a while, but it’s important to conduct regular reviews to see if you’re still on the correct dose.
It could be that you don’t need to take all the same medications if they no longer serve a purpose. Or you could swap a medication that causes unpleasant side effects for a newer, less risky one.
Another consideration is the interaction between medications if you take more than one. Even herbal supplements can change the way some medicines work.
What medications might I require?
The leading psychiatric medications are:
- Antidepressants
- Anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs)
- Stimulants
- Mood stabilizers
- Antipsychotics
Each drug has various subtypes; for example, mood stabilizers include lithium, carbamazepine, and valproic acid, which all work differently and present varying side effect risks.
The most widely prescribed antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase neurotransmitter levels. If you don’t improve, alternatives include tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Is medication management the only treatment I need?
Drugs play an important role in treating and managing mental health conditions, but medication management is just one part of your treatment. At Holistic Behavioral & TMS Therapy, each patient receives a tailored treatment program designed around their needs.
In addition to medication management, your plan might include some form of counseling or psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, stress management, and other strategies that can aid in your recovery.
Your provider can also evaluate your suitability for additional or alternative treatments like Spravato® intranasal ketamine therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
What are the advantages of telehealth for medication management?
Telehealth is a far more convenient option than in-person visits because you don’t have the bother of getting to your psychiatrist’s office for your meeting. Your provider can also change your prescription or write a new one using electronic prescribing technology.
Find out more by calling Holistic Behavioral & TMS Therapy today or book a medication management consultation online.