TREATMENT OPTIONS

CONCISE SUMMARY

Medication Management

In most cases mental illnesses are caused by the nerve cells not communicating properly. Neurotransmitters are messengers that travel across the synapses (highways) between brain cells to communicate with one another in order to regulate the balance of chemicals in the system. The three primary chemicals responsible for mood are serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. When there is too little or too much of these in the system, an individual can become depressed, anxious, or psychotic. Serotonin is responsible for pleasure, norepinephrine for reducing pain, and dopamine for motivation and reward.

These chemicals are released by the nerve cells into the system to other cells, and then absorbed out of the system as the nerve cells attempts to regulate a balanced mood. If the nerve cells are taking too much serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine out of the system. SSRI, SNRI and NDRI medications will inhibit the re-absorption out of the system to avoid depression, pain, or lethargy. If there is too much dopamine in the system psychosis results. Other medications are designed to dampen certain responses in the cases of anxiety and psychosis. This is a concise summary and not an exhaustive list of medications.

Augmentation

Often medication management will require that one medication is augmented and used with another to treat a stubborn condition. These treatment resistant conditions may require several medications, or maybe even going back to the older medications.

Adjunct Therapy

Sometimes individuals respond to medication and another type of therapy. In these situations counseling, brainspotting, EMDR, TMS, DBS, and other therapies are available to compliment or replace medications. Research has shown that medication management combined with psycho-therapy is most effective treatment option.

Treatment Goals

While an individual is stabilizing, their progress is monitored. This entails weekly, monthly, or quarterly follow up visits. During these visits an assessment of how someone is doing is made to regulate, maintain, or change the treatment plan as needed. When the someone is in remission, they can live a happy productive life. Please contact my office if you wish to discuss a treatment plan.