Our psychiatrists provide psychiatric assessments, medication prescriptions and follow-up for a wide variety of outpatient problems. Issues that frequently respond well to medications are depression (all types), anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, psychotic disorders, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, behavioral disorders, anger, and stress. While our psychiatrists do not participate in Medicare, they are able to treat clients of all ages.
Medications are only one piece of a total treatment plan. Other aspects of treatment include exercise, individual or group psychotherapy, journaling, spiritual modalities, 12-step programs and nutritional counseling. Many types of stress and biological predisposition can lead to the need for medication. These medications function optimally when paired with psychotherapy. However, at times the hopelessness phase of depression makes concentration and motivation so challenging that participation in therapy proves too difficult. In those cases, once the medication improves the person’s mood, he or she may utilize therapy to address the deeper issues related to depression. Medications can alter the neurotransmitters in the brain and normalize the body’s response to stress, enabling the person to return to his or her previous levels of functioning. It is advisable to speak with one of our psychiatrists about the length of therapy and to assess whether medications might be needed.
