By: Whitney Derman

Mental Health awareness has made great strides in the past few decades. It is becoming more common to talk about mental health issues and increasingly more common to seek treatment. Despite the normalization, evidence has found that modern approaches to mental illness are not as effective as initially believed. Antidepressants and other psychiatric medicines are the most common way of solving psychiatric issues. Yet, they do not solve the problem: they are band-aids that temporarily dull the symptoms, but they do not cure the disease (Sober Nation, 2014). I would never argue against taking medications for the symptoms, as they can help to an extent; they should be used if necessary and in addition to and not as a replacement for therapy.

Therapy is important because it can help patients get to the root of their problems and begin healing. Speaking to a therapist can provide insight into what you’re going through and help with an appropriate diagnosis. Some people may find that even though they need to speak to a therapist, they may not have any mental illnesses. An example of this could be someone who is depressed because they are dealing with trauma but may not have clinical depression (Sober Nation, 2014). For those individuals, medication may not help because there is no chemical imbalance to treat. Instead, talking to someone could be more beneficial. Another issue is that if you only meet with a psychiatrist whose goal is to medicate you, you run a considerable risk of being misdiagnosed because symptoms of one mental illness can be prevalent in a much more common one (ex: schizoid disorder could be misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder because they overlap). Being misdiagnosed is very harmful, especially if you are prescribed medication you do not need. Therapists and psychologists should take time to get to the root of your issue before diagnosing you and consider options other than medication.

Another massive issue with placing medication at the forefront above more traditional forms of therapy is that it ignores basic psychology (nature vs. nurture) (Ellison, 2020). By prescribing medication without utilizing other forms of treatment, you are presuming that the issue is entirely in their head and has nothing to do with the current circumstances in their life. While some mental illnesses are hereditary or present at birth, they are often linked to life circumstances that should not be ignored. The “how” and “why” are important factors, too, not just the symptoms. Scientists are still working on finding the root causes for mental illness so that cures can be developed, but they should be treated with consideration for the whole picture until that happens.

Medication is important. It just cannot fully replace working to address the issues behind it.

Unfortunately, medication is the fastest and cheapest solution making people often want to try this over other methods because it takes less work for both the patients and doctors (Sobo, 2013).

Are you looking for a mental health program that helps you find and address the real issues and foundations without the hefty price tag of regular therapy? Norm Therapy™ is designed by ARO to open you up to the root causes that could be contributing to your current mental state and bring you to a place where you’re ready for traditional therapies/psychiatry. We are hoping to bridge the gap to make mental healthcare more accessible and effective for all.

Learn more at GoARO.org and please consider donating to help support our work.

Sources

Sober Nation. “Are we living in an overmedicated society?” Sober Nation. July 21, 2014. https://sobernation.com/are-we-living-in-an-overmedicated-society/.

Ellison, K. “The trouble with medicating mental illness.” Knowable Magazine | Annual Reviews. July 17, 2020. https://knowablemagazine.org/article/mind/2020/trouble-medicating-mental-illness.

Sobo, H. “The United States of America — an overmedicated society: Natural Nutmeg Magazine.” Natural Nutmeg Magazine | CT’s Resource for Living Naturally. September 11, 2013. https://naturalnutmeg.com/the-united-states-of-america-an-overmedicated-society/.