The word "psychotropic" means something that
effects the emotional centers of the brain. Effective psychotropic medications
have been with us for decades, but there has been great progress in
this area. Many persons are fearful of psychotropic medications. These
are powerful tools which can be misused, but serious injury is rare
and any side effects are almost always fully reversed within a few days
after one stops taking the medicine.
You will need to speak to your primary care physician*
about the appropriate use of psychotropic medications for your presenting
emotional symptoms. The goal is to balance any emotional distress naturally,
but when psychotropic medication is necessary, we want to work with
your doctor to ensure that you are being properly cared for and that
medication, when required, does not impede your benefitting from psychotherapy.
*If
you do not have a primary care physician, I would refer you to Dr. V.
John Gonino, D.O.
Referral:
|
Modality
|
Referral
|
Contact
|
| Integrative
Medicine - Physician |
Dr. John Gonino, D.O., P.A.
 Gonino Wellness
Group |
972.475.1500  |
NOTE: If
you are experiencing any depressive symptoms, immediately consult your
physician about the diagnosis of depression and the use of psychotropic
medications. Your physician may want to schedule a physical exam and
begin a differential diagnosis (DDx) to check for any underlying physical
etiology (causes). As always, the information contained on this site
does not substitute for consultation with your physician.
It's especially important to realize that you cannot become
addicted to most psychotropic medications. The only common exceptions
are the "minor tranquilizers" such as Librium, Valium, Ativan,
and Xanax. Even tranquilizers rarely cause serious addiction problems;
antidepressants never do.
Another common fear is that a person will not be fully
himself while taking a psychotropic medication. It is possible to have
adverse psychological reactions to medicines, but in most cases where
medical treatment is successful, the person feels and acts "back
to normal". But everyone's biology is unique - that is why you
must keep in regular communication with your physician about
your reactions to any psychotropic medication.
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