All posts filed under: Psychiatric Medication

5 Reasons to Consider Psychiatric Medication

Top 5 Reasons to Consider Psychiatric Medication

Introduction A surprising dichotomy of viewpoints seems to arise around the topic of psychiatry and management; the first is that psychiatrists are real doctors and psychotherapists are quacks.  The second is that medication is for suckers, weaklings, and the desperate. The polarization I’ve observed about these topics is surprising considering all evidence seems to indicate that both work pretty well together.  While it’s not my place to tell people they must be on medication (As in, legally I’m not allowed to), I can certainly tell you about my experience with medication as a supplement to psychotherapy, and why it may make sense to consult with a psychiatrist about your needs. 1. Step Outside the System Our personalities and individual psychologies are complex dynamic systems.  Our character structures consist of many forces, mounting pressures, levers, sources of friction, algorithms, contingencies, etc. that come together to create an overall feeling of goodness or badness of some kind.  The important point about our personalities being systems is that they seem to favor repeated, stable, and predictable outcomes, regardless …

What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been: Return of Psychedelics to Mental Health

What do psychedelics have to do with psychology? The world of psychology has enjoyed an explosion of innovation as of late. The industry has been filled to the brim with creative minds and experimental researchers over the last few years, and some truly groundbreaking research has taken place.  One area of research that psychology has been particularly involved in lately is the area of psychedelic drug use. As society’s opinions and acceptance of substance use changes throughout time, medical and psychology experts tend to follow suit- and this particular topic has been no exception.  In this blog, we’ll examine the use of psychedelics in the world of psychology, the impact on mental health and the arguments for and against using them in a professional context.    What are psychedelics? First things first, what exactly does the term ‘psychedelic’ refer to? The most commonly known examples of psychedelic drugs are LSD, mescaline, Ayahuasca, psilocybin and DMT. These substances are taken by a user in order to achieve a psychedelic experience, which can involve auditory/visual changes, perception …