Medication is often an essential part of mental health treatment. It can treat underlying symptoms in acute and chronic situations and help patients maintain the equanimity they need to stick with the healing process.

Prescribing medication in mental health requires something known as “medication management.” In medication management, the patient and therapist work together to determine whether or not a medication is the right option for the patient. In session, the psychiatrist and patient discuss options, then the psychiatrist recommends a dosage. The patient then follows up with the psychiatrist, checking in about the effects of the medicine to determine whether or not it benefits the patient.

In some cases, patients may need long-term management of their medications. Bodies adjust over time, and medications may not be as effective after years or months of use. In cases where a medication has addictive properties, long-term management can help guard against addiction.

The Life Center Counseling Group's psychiatrists Doctor Amee Shah, MD and Susan Glodstein (Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner) practice effective medication management, where the patient and doctor work together to find the right balance for the patient. The patient has to remain committed to the process, and the patient must adhere to all dosages and recommendations made by a doctor. A patient should never take someone else’s prescription and they should also never take more than their own recommended dosage. Self-dosing can create very dangerous scenarios for patients.