Medication and psychotherapy are not opposed to each other: they complement each other.
- In terms of mental health, the prescription of medication is often accompanied by psychotherapy treatment.
- Medications act on biological symptoms while therapies focus on the root causes of the disorders.
- There is no hierarchy but a synergy between these two approaches.
For many, improving mental health requires a combination of treatments: medication and psychotherapy. When combined carefully, they offer a comprehensive approach that effectively relieves most symptoms.
Who does what?
Medications mainly act on the biological or neurological symptoms of mental disorders. For example, an antidepressant can regulate chemical imbalances that contribute to depression or anxiety. By reducing these symptoms, it offers rapid and necessary relief, especially in severe cases.
However, medication alone is not always enough to treat the root causes of disorders. This is where psychotherapy comes in. It provides a space to explore the origins of emotional difficulties, develop adaptive strategies and strengthen resilience skills.
How to successfully combine them?
The success of their association is based on open and honest communication with its healthcare professionals. It is essential to share your feelings, concerns and expectations, whether with your prescribing doctor or your psychotherapist.
This collaboration makes it possible to regularly evaluate the evolution of symptoms and adjust treatments if necessary. The doctor can adjust the dosage of the medication, while the therapist adjusts the techniques used. When a good dialogue is established, the approach is personalized and respectful of individual needs.
Their complementarity must be constructive
Combining medications and psychotherapy does not imply a hierarchical relationship between these two approaches, but a real synergy. Medication can provide the stability necessary for psychotherapy to be fully effective, while the latter can prolong and consolidate the positive effects of drug treatment.
If we take the example of a person being followed for post-traumatic stress disorder: medications help reduce nightmares and hypervigilance, which allows them to better invest in their EMDR therapy (desensitization and reprocessing by eye movements) to get better.
Find out more: “Psychopilules” by Giorgio Nardone and Alberto Caputo.
