4 Invaluable Benefits of Medication Management

Motivation alone isn’t always enough to reduce your symptoms of disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 

Don’t get discouraged because you still feel dysregulated despite counseling and recommended behavioral changes: Sometimes an extra pharmaceutical boost can make a world of difference in your quality of life. 

Holistic nurse practitioner Judy Vansiea, DNP, MA, MS, APRN, NPP, prefers to start patients on a medication-free course of treatment for mental health. 

While prescriptions aren’t usually a first-line treatment under her care, Dr. Vansiea can prescribe them as part of a patient-centered and goal-directed care plan after reviewing your baseline labs at Coping Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry Services, P.C. in Uniondale, New York. 

Medication management may or may not be necessary within your care plan, but the service has invaluable benefits for many people who use it as part of a comprehensive and dynamic care plan. Here are our top four:

1. Regulating your mood

One major benefit of many mental health medications is that they can make your moods feel less dramatic or unregulated. Sometimes big emotions can seem to take charge of your overall well-being, and regulating them yourself feels nearly impossible.

Medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and mood stabilizers can ease emotions by modifying specific brain activities, such as increasing the production of specific neuromodulators or inhibiting neural excitation. 

When taken alongside individualized counseling or psychotherapy, the right medication can be a catalyst for emotional improvement. 

2. Restoring typical behaviors

Almost any psychiatric medication can help you return to behavioral patterns that are more in line with your typical self. In fact, many people notice behavioral changes before discernible improvements in their moods or thought patterns. The right psychiatric medication can:

• Restore your energy
• Improve your appetite
• Help you sleep better
• Reduce compulsions 
• Help you reduce your reliance on substances or alcohol
• Improve your ability to concentrate
• Make you more receptive to social interaction
• Help you be less irritable and agitated
• Help you stop hearing voices and seeing things

Through comprehensive care, you can start to feel more like your usual self. It becomes easier to rebuild your routine and fulfill your responsibilities. 

3. Alleviating the physical symptoms

Some psychiatric conditions come with physical symptoms, too. Anxiety, for example, can lead to sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat. Depression can cause aches and pains. Substance use disorders cause a host of potential physical symptoms, including bloodshot eyes or rapid weight loss. 

For each of these conditions, medication management may alleviate some of your physical discomfort or even noticeable changes in your appearance. 

As we’ve established, you see the most discernible improvements through a comprehensive and individualized care plan that doesn’t stop at medications alone. 

4. Personalizing care for your evolving needs

Using pharmacogenomics testing and lab tests alongside your self-reported symptoms or changes, Dr. Vansiea can determine which medication best aligns with your genetic makeup.

She can also modify your prescription by increasing or decreasing your dosage, tapering you off a medication you no longer need, or integrating new medications into your care plan. 

Dr. Vansiea believes in monotherapy (treatment with a single medication) versus polytherapy (multiple medications) for mental health purposes and can help you transition to a new medication if side effects or other developments impact your experience with a particular drug.

Monotherapy also ensures you won’t experience any negative interactions between the psychiatric meds you take. 

Your mental health is dynamic, and medication management should be, too. With psychiatric care at Coping Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry Services, P.C., you can be sure your treatment meets your current needs at any given time. 

Start your journey toward a brighter future with a personalized mental health consultation today. Call the practice for an initial consultation or book an appointment online today.