A Personalized Approach to Psychotropic Medication

When it comes to psychotropic medications, I believe there is no single medication or treatment approach that is right for everyone. Medications are developed to help many people with a particular condition, but every individual responds differently. Just because two people experience similar symptoms does not mean they will respond to the same medication. 

The brain is incredibly complex, and psychiatric symptoms can have many different contributing factors. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and others play important roles in how we think, feel, and function, but the relationship between these chemicals and mental health is not as simple as having "too little" or "too much" of one neurotransmitter.

Two people can experience very similar symptoms while having very different underlying biological, psychological, environmental, and life circumstances.

As a result, a medication that works well for one person may provide little benefit—or cause unwanted side effects—for another. 

Symptoms also don't always tell the whole story. For example, someone may present with irritability, difficulty concentrating, procrastination, forgetfulness, or feeling disorganized and assume they have ADHD. While those can certainly be symptoms of ADHD, they can also occur with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, trauma, and other conditions. Sometimes one condition can even contribute to or worsen another. 

This is why I believe psychiatric care requires looking beyond a diagnosis or a list of symptoms.

A diagnosis is an important piece of the puzzle, but it is not necessarily the entire picture. I want to understand what you are experiencing, when it started, what makes it better or worse, how you are sleeping, what is happening in your life, how you are functioning, and how your symptoms are affecting you as a whole person. 

Treatment should be individualized and approached thoughtfully. Sometimes that means taking a step back and asking whether the symptoms we are seeing are truly coming from the condition we initially suspected or whether something else may be contributing. It can take time to put all of those pieces together, and unfortunately, there isn't always an immediate answer. 

I often hear the expectation that medication will "fix" someone or make all of their problems go away. That is not how I view medication or my role as a provider. I cannot fix someone, nor do I believe that a person needs to be fixed.

My role is to provide guidance, education, support, and appropriate treatment that can give individuals the tools they need to help themselves. 

When medication is appropriate, the goal is not necessarily to eliminate every symptom or change who someone is. Instead, medication may help decrease the intensity of symptoms, create greater stability, and allow someone to think more clearly and function more effectively. This can create an opportunity to address underlying issues and develop healthier ways of coping. 

I strongly believe that medication and counseling work hand in hand. Medication may help reduce symptoms enough for someone to participate more effectively in therapy and learn the coping mechanisms they need to manage life's challenges. Counseling can help individuals understand their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and experiences while developing skills that medication alone cannot provide. 

Medication can be a tool, but it is not the entire toolbox. 

Psychiatric treatment isn't always as simple as, "Here's a diagnosis, here's a pill, and you'll be fixed overnight." Mental health is complex, and finding the right treatment can take time. Sometimes it involves trying a medication, monitoring how you respond, adjusting the treatment, looking at lifestyle factors, addressing sleep, incorporating counseling, and continuing to ask questions when something doesn't make sense. 

My goal is not simply to prescribe a medication. My goal is to work collaboratively with each individual to understand their symptoms, their circumstances, their goals, and their life as a whole and then determine what approach makes the most sense for them. 

There is no "one pill fits all" solution. Mental health treatment should be individualized because every person, every brain, and every life circumstance is different. The goal isn't to "fix" you. The goal is to help you understand yourself, develop the tools to cope, and find the treatment that helps you move toward feeling more like yourself again.