With the opioid crisis and the rise of benzodiazepine abuse, this is a general concern of most patients.
Many of our patients are not on medication.
We generally do not recommend medication unless symptoms are severe and the patient has experienced little progress in talk therapy. The most common medications we see are anti-depressants (SSRI’s) and stimulant medications (Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse etc.).
When anti-depressants are taken, it’s common for patients to discontinue the medication when they start to feel better.
When symptoms subside and patients report a more stable mood they will titrate (slowly take smaller doses) off of their medication under the supervision of their psychiatrists. Unfortunately, patients who abruptly discontinue taking their medication can experience depressive symptoms more pervasive than before.
With stimulant medications, side-effects are the most common complaint. Lack of appetite, poor sleep, and flat mood are commonly reported.
While patients cannot become physically dependent on these medications, they can be abused.
Taking more than prescribed, taking medications in a manner that is not recommended (snorting, in conjunction with another substance) can be extremely dangerous. These medications are to be taken ONLY as prescribed and discontinued immediately if adverse effects frequently occur.
Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for treatment of pervasive anxiety.
These medications can be dangerous when taken in large amounts or over long periods of time.
This class of drugs is commonly abused and overdose or use with another substance can result in a medical emergency. Individuals can become physically dependent on this drug, suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms that can result in a medical emergency.
In general, if you are on any type of medication you must take it as prescribed.
If you experience adverse side effects or feel that the medication is not working, tell your doctor.
Doing so will help you come off of the medication in a safe way and provide your doctor with valuable information as they aim to prescribe the best medication for you.
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MENTAL HEALTH : TECH BUZZ
App Spotlight: Digital Panic Button
Have a teen with mental illness or a loved one who needs help and support from family or peer network? A new app, notOK, has launched to connect those who suffer from loneliness, anxiety, depression, stress, or anything else, with immediate help, one tap away. Cool factor #2: the app was by a brave, 16-year old teen who suffers from depression and anxiety. | Learn more here!
Social Media & Mental Health: Instagram
Did you know photo-sharing app Instagram is often associated with anxiety and depression, as well as bullying and negative body image? These are the findings by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) — a British charity dedicated to improving public health and wellbeing — which ranked Instagram No.1 in being “the most detrimental to young people’s mental health and wellbeing. To combat these wellbeing issues, Instagram is counterpunching with a new “wellness team” to take down trolls, abuse, hashtag misuse (Instagram already bans certain hashtags related to self-harm or negative body image) and patrol for the overall mental health concerns of its users. | Go Instagram!
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Write to the Duffy Counseling team at info@duffycounseling.com. We author the Hey Duffy! column twice a month and include helpful tips, interesting stats, answers to frequently asked patient questions, trend-inspired illustrations, and more!
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