Portland Mental Health & Wellness

Why this resource is helpful:

Quoted From: https://www.portlandmh.com/medication-management/

"The prevailing research indicates that the best approach to mental health care treatment involves a combination of psychotherapy and medication management. When used together, psychiatric naturopathy and allopathic medications can help treat several mental health symptoms including depression, anxiety, and distress related to trauma.

At Portland Mental Health & Wellness, we provide you with quality care to address your specific mental health needs. Understanding how psychiatric medications are integrated into your mental health care is critical to your successful treatment.

The information below will detail some important considerations for patients, including information about starting on psychiatric medications, associated risks, and how to manage the use of psychiatric medications over time with your clinicians.

Portland Mental Health and Wellness now provides patients with access to licensed psychiatric practitioners to enhance the holistic treatment of your mental health embodying our values of connection, healing, and growth. To get started, patients must schedule an initial visit (about 60-90 minutes) during which your psychiatric practitioner will get to know you and your specific mental health care needs, may elect to order medical tests, and review your medical records and full health history including any current or previous medications you have taken. Starting a new medication and assessing the effects requires patience and collaboration between you and your practitioners. Additional visits may be necessary to see how you are responding to the medication as you and your provider seek the optimal dose in which you experience the greatest benefits. In some cases, patients may need to try multiple medications in order to find one that has the best results for them. This process requires open communication and teamwork between the patient, psychiatric practitioner, and other members of the mental health care team including your psychotherapist.

Beginning on a new medication is associated with certain risks. Any medication has the potential to cause side effects and interactions with other prescriptions, over the counter medications, or supplements that you currently take. You will work closely with your psychiatric practitioner to reduce these risks and carefully monitor how you respond to a new prescription. Patients should keep their psychiatric practitioner up to date about any changes to medications including over the counter medications and supplements like vitamins or herbal remedies.

Over time, you may find that your well-being has improved, and it"s important that patients work directly with their psychiatric practitioner to safely modify, taper, or discontinue any medications. Changing medications without medical guidance can lead to adverse effects, and your providers want to work with you to avoid this risk. At the same time, it will be helpful for your psychotherapist to know how you are feeling on your medications, and while psychotherapists cannot make changes to your medications, goals in psychotherapy can be modified based on your feelings and response to your new medications.

Beginning a new medication to help facilitate and improve your mental health is a personal decision that our team is committed to guiding you through thoughtfully and responsibly. After starting a new prescription, your practitioners will want to see you more frequently to assess your well-being, and your entire mental health care team will be available to help you assess any changes. Some people may feel a difference soon after initiating a new medication while other medications could take several weeks to reach an effective dose in your body."

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