Spouses want to know: “Why isn’t the medication helping?”

Today’s question is, “If my husband is medicated, shouldn’t we see some signs of him getting better?

Great question, and thanks for asking!

…And you might be frustrated that I don’t have a quick, easy, one-size-fits-all answer.

First of all – let me just clarify: as a clinical psychologist, I don’t prescribe medication. That doesn’t mean that I’m opposed to medication; I have some patients who won’t take medication no matter what, and I respect that. I also work with others who consider their medication to be an important part of the mix that works with for them. I respect whatever path to recovery is the best fit for each individual person.

So, you might wonder, what is it, exactly, that medication is supposed to help with? Well – it depends on the diagnosis and the type of medication Antidepressants do something very different than anti-anxiety medication, for instance.

In general, meds are supposed to dial back your symptoms. Finding the right dose often takes a bit of trial and error; antidepressants in particular can take up to six weeks to build up in your system and start to make an impact. And you need to start off at a lower dose and gradually build it up to the dose that you need, to give your body a chance to adjust. So, it can take a while to get to the point where the medication has its full effect. When it comes to finding the best medication for you, it also might take a bit of trial and error – you may need to try a few different medications before finding the best one for you. So, medication might seem like a quick solution, but like anything else – you need to hunker down and arm yourself with a lot of patience, because it might take a while.

The other issue is, pills don’t give you skills: they don’t teach you to understand what’s happening to your brain,  or where it comes from or how to cope with it.

So – in a nutshell, it may take some time before you start to see a difference. You might have to try a few before you find the right one. And medication alone is frequently not enough to change behaviour.

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I’d love to have you share your thoughts, comments, and questions. If you do post a comment, please don’t give specific details of your trauma – these may be triggering to another reader. If you’d like to offer criticism, I’ll take it – I know I’m not perfect, and I’m always willing to learn. If you do offer criticism though, I’d really appreciate it if you could do so constructively (ie., no name-calling, please). Thanks…

You can find me on Twitter and on Facebook.

~ Dr. Dee Rajska, C. Psych.

 

*Fine print: Please feel free to share the link to this blog wherever you think it might be helpful! Reading this blog is a good start, but it’s no substitute for professional help. It takes a different kind of courage to admit to yourself that you’re struggling. PTSD is not a sign of failure – it’s a sign that you’ve been through a lot, and have tried to stay strong for too long. If you need help – you’re in some pretty great company. Reach out, and give yourself a chance to feel better.

**Really fine print: The content of Coming Back Home is copyrighted; please feel free to share the link, but do not copy and paste content. Unless otherwise noted, all original photography on Coming Back Home is the copyrighted property of Larry M. Jaipaul; please do not copy images without permission.

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